DCALFA Conference (25–29 May 2026): Five days that felt like family, and a regional next step

From 25–29 May 2026, Stichting Marlin Yard (SMY) participated in the DCALFA Conference (Dutch Caribbean Agriculture, Livestock & Fisheries Alliance), hosted this year on St. Maarten.

For five days, we were in rooms — and on field visits — with people who live close to land and sea, and who understand that food security isn’t a slogan. It’s a daily practice.

Who was in the room

What stood out immediately was the mix — and the shared seriousness.

Across the week we connected with:

• Farmers and fishermen
• Government officials
• NGO representatives
• Scientists and technical experts

…from across the six Dutch Kingdom islands and neighbouring islands.

Different roles, different realities — but a shared question underneath it all:

How do we strengthen agriculture, livestock and fisheries in the region in a way that actually works on the ground?

What we did (and why it mattered)

DCALFA wasn’t just presentations.

We joined field trips — including visits to two schools and one local farm on St. Maarten. That matters, because it keeps the conversation anchored in reality:

• What are young people learning (or not learning) about food systems?
• What does a farmer here need to produce consistently?
• Where are the bottlenecks: water, inputs, markets, policy, labour?

Alongside that, we participated in round tables and workshops where the focus wasn’t “talking at each other,” but actually working through problems together.

The vibe: family, camaraderie, and shared responsibility

One of the most striking parts of the week was the atmosphere.

The vibe was family.

There was real camaraderie, people checking in on each other, making introductions, sharing resources, and speaking honestly about what’s hard.

That matters, because regional work doesn’t move on spreadsheets alone. It moves on trust.

What SMY is taking forward: deeper Dutch Caribbean connections

Because the conference focus was strongly Dutch Caribbean, SMY strengthened connections with farmers and fishermen across the Dutch Caribbean islands.

And that’s where our thinking keeps returning:

We need more than occasional meetings. We need structure.

A next step we want to explore: a Caribbean ALF Cooperative

One of the clearest outcomes for SMY is a direction we want to explore seriously:

Creating an Agricultural, Livestock & Fisheries (ALF) Cooperative for the Caribbean.

Not as another “network.” As a working structure that can support farmers and fishermen:

• operationally (tools, inputs, coordination, shared capacity)
• legislatively (policy alignment, advocacy)
• juridically (legal support, agreements, compliance)
• commercially (regional business, market access, partnerships)

Because the region is full of skill and resilience. What we often lack is the infrastructure around it.

What’s next

We’re leaving DCALFA with something important:

• new relationships
• shared momentum
• and a clearer picture of what we can build together

If you were at DCALFA too, or if you’re working in agriculture, livestock, or fisheries in the Dutch Caribbean and want to connect, send us a message. We’d love to keep the conversation going.

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DCALFA 2026 on St. Maarten,  five days of learning, field visits, and building stronger regional connections across agriculture, livestock & fisheries.

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