Food that heals land and sea

Resilient Land. Real Food. A Stronger Bonaire.

Farming on Bonaire is more than growing crops. It’s about healing the land, protecting the ocean, and preparing for the future. That’s why the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries (LVV) helps farmers, herders, and fishers work with nature. Small-scale. Regenerative. In rhythm with the island.

LVV is growing into Bonaire’s hub for sustainable food. Through hands-on training, demo projects, and one-on-one support, they’re helping people dig deep—literally—and build a more resilient future from the soil up.

Bringing Soil Back to Life

Many kunukus are tired. Years of erosion, overgrazing, and runoff have left the land exposed. But the recovery is already underway. Farmers are planting trees, capturing rainwater, and rotating crops to rebuild the soil. You can see the change: stronger plants, fewer drought losses, more life in the fields. Birds are back. So are bees and native plants. And when you choose food grown right here on Bonaire, you’re part of that story. You’re helping reduce import reliance. You’re investing in food security and in the island’s ecological comeback.

Herding With Care

Free-roaming livestock can do real damage. Stripping the soil, destroying young trees. That’s why more herders are switching to natural fencing, like yatu and sia. They’re rotating pastures and keeping herds close.

But technique alone won’t cut it. Many herders need tools, training, and financial help to make the transition.

Nature-positive herding must protect the land and still provide a fair living. When herders thrive within the island’s limits, so does Bonaire.

More Fish, Less Pressure

The ocean needs rest. That’s why LVV and local fishers are teaming up to design smarter fishing plans setting limits on where, when, and how to fish. These agreements help protect coral, mangroves, and fish populations. There’s room for innovation, too. Seaweed farming and shellfish aquaculture are being explored. And young people are learning the ropes as the next generation of ocean stewards.

Fishing matters to Bonaire’s economy. This isn’t about catching less, it’s about catching wiser. So that both species and communities can thrive.

Want to Be Part of the Change?

You don’t have to be a farmer or a fisher to make a difference. Just being curious is a good start.

Explore what’s happening in the kunukus and along the coast. Read stories of people restoring their land and sea. Learn how local food producers are protecting what matters most.

Your next step might be small, but it counts.