Last week I joined an online launch of a research-project and a discussion with researchers on the Dutch Caribbean islands, on advancing food security.
The title of the webinar was: Covid 19 Food Security and Economic Diversity, in Curacao, Aruba and Sint Maarten, with three researchers Benjamin Visser, Curacao, Rendell de Kort, Aruba and Eugene Hoogstad, Sint Maarten.
Some stuff I knew, some went over my head, but for sure dark clouds are gathering over the horizon: Nobody expected Covid 19, nobody expected it to be so devastating, and to last so long, no one foresaw the global distribution challenges, the clogged harbors, the shortage of containers and truck drivers. No one expected the war in Ukraine to erupt, no one expected it to go for so long, be so ruthless and cut Ukraine off from water, and Black Sea ports, where ships can dock to load crops, grain, wheat, corn, oils, and whatever else we get from Ukraine, no one expected such a high-inflation rate worldwide and sky rocketing fuel prices, Russian oil and gas bans, temperatures rising, climate change, and an active Caribbean Hurricane season. The latest scrooge is the real threat of famine and malnutrition, which will mostly affect children.
In Aruba, we have a close to 7.5 billion, outstanding national debt.
Which we could NEVER repay.
And apathy, no response, nor action, from our leaders.
The below press release says, among other things: “Hunger and malnutrition increase their entry into everyday life on a larger scale than before COVID-19. Currently, larger segments of the population are becoming increasingly dependent on food donations and charities. In Sint Maarten, Curaçao and Aruba, the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly exposed pre-existing patterns and structures of social inequality, inequality and poverty.”
Who would have thought?
Willemstad, 20 May 2022
Update experts, stakeholders and leaders of industry
COVID-19, Food Security and Economic Diversity in Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten (2021-2023)
The ZonMw project “COVID-19, Food Security and Economic Diversity in Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten” examines the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food chain within small island communities.
Food security in small island communities primarily dependent on tourism is problematic: the small land area and high population density, combined with the pressures of tourism, make it impossible to reach the full food need based on a conventional approach. Dependence on external food producers is unavoidable, partly in view of the continuity of high-quality food supplies. However, this does not mean that it is not possible to partially meet the food needs through local food production. Its development contributes to the much-needed diversification of the economy in these small island communities. Economic diversity, the balance with nature and good health are important focal points.
The “COVID-19, Food Security and Economic Diversity research project in Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten” is being carried out on behalf of ZonMw by three Caribbean universities, namely the University of Curaçao Dr. Moises da Costa Gomez (UoC), the University of Aruba (UA) and the University of St. Martin (USM). A project coordinator is active within each institution and a principal investigator has been appointed. In Curaçao, Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Echteld, Managing Director of the University of Curaçao Research Institute (UCRI) is the research coordinator and Benjamin Visser MSc has been appointed as principal investigator. In Aruba, Dr. Eric Mijts, coordinator of Sustainable Island Solutions through STEM (SISSTEM) and coordinator of the University of Aruba Research Center, is the research coordinator for the ZonMw project with Rendell de Kort MSc as principal investigator. On Sint Maarten, the project is coordinated by Prof. Dr. Antonio Carmona Báez, who is also Rector of the University of St. Martin, with Eugène Hoogstad as principal investigator.
ZonMw is a partnership between the organization ZorgOnderzoek Nederland (Zon) and the field of Medical Sciences (Mw) of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). ZonMw, located in The Hague, presents itself as an institution that encourages the use of knowledge gained through health research. It is important that the research results obtained promote knowledge development in the field of health care.
This joint research will examine how the COVID-19 pandemic has led to changing patterns in community-based local food production initiatives and how these can contribute to innovative economic diversification strategies to increase resilience to pandemics. Whenever these tourism-based economies grind to a halt due to external shocks (e.g. COVID-19) and as the islands are heavily dependent on imports (Aruba almost 100%, Curaçao and Sint Maarten about 95%), hunger and malnutrition increase their entry into everyday life on a larger scale than before COVID-19. Currently, larger segments of the population are becoming increasingly dependent on food donations and charities. In Sint Maarten, Curaçao and Aruba, the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly exposed pre-existing patterns and structures of social inequality, inequality and poverty. More than ever, the need for economic diversification to absorb exogenous shocks has become clear in all island states of the Caribbean Netherlands. A community-based participatory research approach (CBPR) will be used to conduct the research. CBPR is a partnership approach to research in which community members, organizational representatives, researchers, and others are equitably involved in all aspects of the research process, with all partners in the process contributing expertise and sharing in decision-making and ownership. The aim of CBPR is to increase knowledge and understanding of a particular phenomenon and integrate the acquired knowledge with policy or social change interventions that benefit community members (Leslie, et al, 2017; Faraclas, Kester & Mijts, 2019. p.11). This study aims to investigate shifting patterns in community-based local food production initiatives and how they can contribute to innovative economic diversification strategies to increase resilience to pandemics.
In summary, by involving local stakeholders in surveys, interviews and focus groups, knowledge is gathered about food production and availability, economic impact and employment in the sector as well as about nutritional practices in the communities on the islands. This data collection provides a picture of the resilience on the three islands with regard to the food chain and the associated potential for economic diversification.
This press release gives publicity to this extensive research project by ZonMw into the impact of COVID-19 on the food security of the islands of Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten. The project implementers also point out that input and feedback are needed from experts, leaders of industry, importers, supermarket chains, farmers and citizens.
It is expected that the press release will increase the interest, willingness and cooperation with the aforementioned stakeholders, so that it will be possible to gain a better insight into the current state of affairs and future opportunities to strengthen our food security on the three islands.
As a result of the research, (inter-islands) seminars will be organized by the executors of the project on the three islands, and various relevant publications will be published containing the processing of the research results.
On 31 May a first virtual inter-islands seminar will take place, where stakeholders, interested parties, the general public, can learn more about this project, which is very important for Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten.
