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Saturday 6 January 2018

Sustainable Caribbean

ORANJESTAD - The Dutch with the aid of sun and
foundation WeConnect ocean water.” The Algae
goes green. On Friday Jan- PARC Bonaire project will
uary 12, the educational be presented at the meet-
foundation is organising up.
the meet-up ‘Sustainable
Caribbean’ in cooperation Students & Young Profes-
with Wageningen Univer- sionals:
sity & Research (WUR). The WeConnect Manager
focus is on green and sus- Tanja Fraai was pleasantly
tainable initiatives on the surprised by the diversity of
six Caribbean islands and students and young profes-
on how to liaise Antillean sionals who have already
and Aruban students and registered for the meet-up:
young professionals with “They specialise, among
these projects. It is one of others, in chemistry, food
WeConnect’s initiatives to technology, hydrology, ed by a group of Caribbe- in touch with organizations the Ministry of Economic
turn the brain drain on the marine ecology and life sci- an students from the tech- that focus on sustainability. Affairs & Climate, and the
islands into a brain gain ences. nical study association ABC These organizations include Ministry of Agriculture, Na-
and thus reinforcing the lo- Additionally, they are com- Compas. TNO Caribbean, national ture and Food Safety will
cal employment market mitted to create a sustain- parks Stenapa (Sint Eusta- be present in Wageningen
with homegrown talents. able future for their (home) Organizations: tius) and Stinapa (Bonaire) to showcase their projects
islands.” The University of The objective is to inspire and energy providers on on the islands to the stu-
Microalgae Project: Delft will also be represent- the students and put them the islands. Furthermore, dents.
The idea for a thematic
meet-up on sustainability Sustainable Future:
developed from the WUR WeConnect is an edu-
microalgae project, cur- cational foundation and
rently being rolled out on therefore, this initiative fits
Bonaire. A collaborative perfectly in the set of ac-
team from Bonaire and tivities. Paul Comenencia,
Wageningen led by René Chairman of WeConnect,
Wijffels (Professor of Biopro- explains: “The meet-up on
cess Technology) is study- January 12 will help facili-
ing the deployment of al- tate the joining of forces
gae as a resource for food, in the Kingdom: WUR’s in-
cattle feed, fuel and chem- ternationally renowned ex-
icals. René Wijffels: “Tourism pert knowledge in the field
is virtually Bonaire’s only of agriculture and nature
source of income. Food management, the talents
and energy have to be im- of our young professionals,
ported nearly completely. and the ideal conditions
Together with people from of our islands for executing
Bonaire, we want to under- innovative economic proj-
take innovative research ects in the area of sustain-
into sustainable ways to ability. The outcome: new
develop new economic challenges for the university
activities that will decrease and sustainable economic
the import dependency of activities with employment
the island.” The professor opportunities on our islands
explains that opportuni- is a win-win combination.
ties are being looked into WeConnect happily con-
together with the public tributes to this.”
body of Bonaire to diversify
the economy and develop The meet-up ‘Sustain-
knowledge and infrastruc- able Caribbean’ is free of
ture with the objective of charge and is taking place
creating a circular econ- on Friday afternoon Janu-
omy. Bonaire’s climatic ary 12, at the Campus of
conditions are ideal for ef- Wageningen University &
ficiently culturing microal- Research, building 115.
gae. Wijffels: “We want to Compulsory registration
demonstrate that high-end via: http://bit.ly/2yWixGb
sustainable resources can More information www.we-
be produced on the island connectworks.nlq