Caribbean Islands Take New Approach To Sustainable Food Cultivation

The Cayman Islands, Curaçao, and Puerto Rico have all taken steps to improve the availability of local food sources and reduce their dependence on imported carbon-heavy sources.

One of the problems for the Caribbean agriculture industry on most islands is the limited availability of farmland and the negative impacts of climate change.

While locals tend to buy more of their food directly from sources on the islands, it seems like a significant demand for imported food comes from the tourism industry.

And tourism demand is far greater than local demand in many places.

Lonely Planet highlighted ways in which Curaçao has promoted local produce.

“The movement toward sustainability has been slowly growing in Curaçao and resources like Sustainable Curaçao are invaluable. The site compiles information on island farms, including Hofi Cas Cora and Fuik Microgreens, local eco-friendly beauty brands, sustainable architecture firms and more.”

Another great example is promoting farm-to-table restaurants that source all of their ingredients locally and offer everything from simple dishes to fine dining experiences.

There certainly is a responsibility for tourists to consider their choices, but by actively promoting local produce to tourists, this should make these islands a lot more sustainable.