KRALENDIJK - Growing vegetables and other crops locally on Bonaire is still relatively small-scale, but a growing number of initiatives are working to change that. One of them is Simply Greens, run by Ragnhild Isabella. From her home, she grows various types of microgreens without chemical pesticides. Ultimately, she wants to expand her production to include tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs.
The vast majority of food on Bonaire comes from outside the island. At the same time, both on Bonaire and in the European Netherlands, there is growing talk about the importance of more local food production and greater self-sufficiency. Various entrepreneurs and organisations are experimenting with ways to grow food under Bonaire’s dry and warm conditions.
Simply Greens is one of those young initiatives. Isabella, originally from Curacao and now living on Bonaire for seven years, has long been interested in growing her own food.
"I’ve always had a passion for food you grow yourself," she says. After getting involved in the start of a greenhouse project about two years ago, she decided to take it more seriously. Earlier this year, she began bringing her products to market.
From basil to red amaranth
For now, Simply Greens focuses on microgreens: young edible plants harvested shortly after germination. They can be used in salads and various dishes, among other things.
The range now includes several varieties, such as rocket, basil, coriander, mustard, red amaranth, and mung beans. There are also various mixed packs of young plants, and shiso was recently added to the assortment. Growth times vary considerably between varieties. Rocket and mung beans can be harvested within five to seven days, while basil takes around fourteen to twenty days.
Isabella tries to grow the plants as naturally as possible, without artificial lighting or chemical pesticides. That makes cultivation under Bonaire’s conditions not always straightforward.
Months of experimenting first
Before Isabella introduces a new product, it is thoroughly tested first. She experiments with different amounts of water, nutrients, and growing media to find out which combination works best under Bonairean conditions.
"It’s really trial and error," Isabella says. "You have to check constantly. Your water, your soil, your nutrients - every day. Even a small difference in temperature or water can affect how the plant grows."
Records are therefore kept of when and how plants were sown and under what conditions they grew. "It’s not just watering plants and you’re done."
Gathering knowledge is also an important part of the process. According to Isabella, not all facilities for water and soil research are available on Bonaire, meaning samples sometimes have to be sent to the Netherlands. She also draws on experiences from Aruba, where a business partner is already active and conditions are partly comparable to those on Bonaire.
Interest is growing
Simply Greens currently produces largely on order. This means planting is based on expected demand, minimising waste. Harvesting only takes place once the plants are ready.
Since Isabella started taking the market more seriously earlier this year, she has seen interest grow. Private customers in particular are finding their way to her. "If I compare January to now, there are definitely more customers coming in. Mainly private individuals, actually."
For smaller households, the current quantities are sometimes still too large. Some customers solve this by sharing an order with neighbours or acquaintances. There are therefore plans to explore making smaller quantities available through supermarkets in the future.
Producing more on Bonaire
The ambition does not stop at microgreens. Isabella ultimately wants to grow other products locally as well. "We are also going to do other plants like cucumbers and tomatoes," she says. There are also plans for herbs, including products that can be dried or processed into sauces and other dishes.
That will require more space. At the moment, a significant part of the work still takes place at her home. A balcony has been converted into a small greenhouse and experiments with plants are carried out indoors. For now, Simply Greens remains a side job for Isabella.
Permits
It is precisely when taking the step towards larger-scale production that she runs into a familiar problem on Bonaire: the lengthy procedures surrounding permits and agricultural land. In recent years, permit processing on the island has barely got off the ground. The various changes in executive councils have not helped, and within the responsible departments there is still little visible improvement to speed up applications.
Isabella herself has now been waiting around eighteen months for the completion of the agricultural land process through LVV.
"The first thing that needs to happen here is the permits and the ability to access agricultural land," she says. According to her, such processes can drag on for years. "All those processes take a long time, a very long time. That is demoralising too."
If Bonaire is serious about producing more of its own food, change needs to come precisely there, she believes. "I think the first step is that more pressure and more focus is placed on this sector."
Certainty first, then investment
Isabella describes her contact with LVV itself as positive. She has already been told which plot of land is intended for her, and according to her it was even suggested that she could start there while the paperwork is being processed.
That is not something she is willing to do. "I would rather not start. I want my paperwork in order before I begin," says Isabella. Investing in a plot without definitive certainty is too great a risk in her view. "You need to have security."
Until then, Simply Greens will continue to produce and experiment on a small scale. The initiative is at once an example of both the possibilities and the limitations of local food production on Bonaire. Knowledge and interest are growing, but the step from growing at home or on a small scale to larger production requires space, investment - and above all, certainty.
