Oral presentation: Loes Witteveen

Food Resilience is a highly relevant and complex theme of the Caribbean Netherlands. Inhabitants experience high dependency on imported (processed) foods, high prices, and scarcity of locally produced fresh products.

Current efforts of the Netherlands Governments focus on increasing food production on the islands. But more productive food systems on the islands are only part of a response to this complexity. While a food production orientation offers practical solutions, in this research the term "food resilient futures" was chosen to emphasize agency and social ecological learning, placing focus on community-led transformation rather than purely technical interventions. This broader framing, though it may seem distant from conventional food production approaches, emerged as an important result of the research project.

In the research project Food Resilient Futures, a Living Lab approach was initiated leading to the formulation of priorities and consequent experiments in relation to water-smart and nature-inclusive resilient food systems. Although it is unrealistic to strive for complete local food production, a Living Lab approach can pave the way for exploring what is possible within ecological limits and for identifying cultivation and production opportunities that local inhabitants can benefit from. The research results indicate that the cultural dimension of food offers opportunities: Krioyo food as an expression of Antillean identity. This vision fits seamlessly with a Living Lab approach as it creates the foundation for local ownership in a necessary transition process. To respect the social capital invested, the relationships and trust established, continuation of this collaboration is essential.