WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao’s food challenges are deeply rooted in structural, historical, and geopolitical factors, experts warned during a recent Economenclub meeting, calling for a fundamental redesign of the island’s food system.
Speakers emphasized that Curaçao’s dependence on imported food, combined with social and environmental constraints, creates long-term vulnerabilities that go beyond supply issues.
Dimitri Cloose highlighted that scarcity has shaped Curaçao for centuries. Due to the island’s dry climate and limited water resources, local food production has always faced significant challenges. As a result, food choices are not entirely free but are influenced by longstanding patterns of scarcity.
“Scarcity determines behavior, culture, and ultimately what people eat,” Cloose noted, warning that policies that ignore these realities are unlikely to succeed.
Economic data presented during the session further illustrated the structural nature of the problem. Curaçao imports the vast majority of its food, while around 30 percent of households live below the poverty line. This limits access to healthy options and increases reliance on cheaper, highly processed foods.
The risks are not only economic or health-related. Lesley Fer pointed to geopolitical tensions and disruptions in global trade as additional threats that could directly impact Curaçao’s food supply, framing food security as a matter of national resilience.
At the same time, researchers presented potential solutions. Under the leadership of the University of Curaçao, new models are being developed that integrate local food production, water management, and public health.
Experimental “living labs” on campus are already testing these ideas, including small-scale food forests and water reuse systems designed to support agriculture with limited resources.
Water management was identified as a critical factor. Without a reliable water supply, researchers warned, food security remains “an illusion.” Parallel projects, supported in part by the Dutch Cultural Heritage Agency, aim to restore historical water systems and improve water storage for agricultural use.
The overarching conclusion from the meeting was clear: Curaçao’s current model—relying on cheap imports while absorbing the hidden costs elsewhere—is no longer sustainable. Experts argue that the focus must now shift from preventing shortages to fundamentally restructuring the island’s food system.