WILLEMSTAD – MFK Member of Parliament Ishahier Monte is asking the government to ensure that small farmers and livestock producers are not left behind when millions of euros in new financing become available to strengthen food production in Curaçao and the other Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.
Monte has submitted a series of written parliamentary questions to Minister of Economic Development Roderick Middelhof concerning the Stichting CariFoodFund and, in particular, how smaller Curaçao producers will be able to access its financing.
According to the information cited by the MP, the Netherlands has made €18 million available as initial capital for the CariFoodFund, while another €6 million has been earmarked for subsidies and contributions to local governments.
The fund is intended to provide different forms of financing to entrepreneurs involved in agriculture, livestock farming, fisheries and other parts of the food supply chain.
Monte considers it particularly important that the fund has indicated that financing will not be restricted to existing businesses. New initiatives may also qualify, potentially creating opportunities for entrepreneurs who want to enter food production or develop innovative projects.
But the MP is concerned that the people who may need relatively small amounts of financing could have the greatest difficulty obtaining it.
Monte says visits to local farms have shown that small producers frequently struggle with financing alongside problems involving access to water and agricultural land.
Their financial needs can sometimes be relatively modest. A loan or guarantee could be enough to purchase seeds, acquire tools, repair equipment, fence a property or improve transportation for harvested products.
The concern, according to Monte, is that complicated application requirements, digital procedures and administrative documentation could unintentionally favor larger and better-organized companies.
Without accessible criteria and direct assistance, he fears small farmers could find themselves unable to benefit from a fund that is intended to strengthen the Caribbean food system.
Monte therefore wants Middelhof to explain how the application process will work specifically for Curaçao’s small farmers, agricultural producers and livestock breeders.
He is also asking whether applicants will receive guidance in preparing their applications and whether special assistance will be available for people with limited experience using digital application systems or preparing administrative documents.
Another question focuses on outreach. Monte wants to know how the Ministry of Economic Development, other relevant ministries and the CariFoodFund intend to inform smaller producers about the opportunities and ensure that financing reaches them in practice.
The issue is significant because Curaçao remains overwhelmingly dependent on imported food. A study cited by Monte estimated self-sufficiency at only 8.78 percent within the food categories examined.
Monte argues that financing small-scale producers could therefore serve several purposes at once: supporting local entrepreneurship, creating economic activity, increasing domestic food production and making Curaçao less vulnerable to international supply disruptions.
The MP has asked Middelhof to respond to his questions in writing.