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| December 2023 |
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Dear ,
As we near the close of 2023, we find ourselves reflecting on a year marked by challenges and joy.
On the one hand, the year was often overshadowed by concerns about climate change, rising temperatures, conflicts, debates. On the other hand, it’s important to remember that this isn’t the whole story. Inspiring stories of positive impact, pride, hope, and improvement don’t always have the reach they deserve.
Looking ahead to 2024, we hope to share more of the inspiring developments that we encounter. We aim to continue building and strengthening our partnerships and help improve the business operations of agricultural companies. These efforts are essential for creating a more resilient (agri-food) world, one that is better equipped to face the challenges ahead.
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A Centre of Excellence in Smart Agriculture for Moldova
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The Republic of Moldova has been working on modernizing its agriculture for years. Against that background, HollandDoor organised a learning and inspiration study tour on smart agriculture in September 2023. A delegation of the Technical University of Moldova, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries, delegates from sector organizations and national consultants got acquainted with newest Dutch technologies in data-driven farming, precision agriculture, drones, GPS, AI and more. Furthermore they saw best practices of Centers of Excellence, mainly based on strong cooperation between knowledge institutions, the government and the private sector.
With high satisfaction the delegation went home, ready to implement what they learned in their Centre of Excellence in Smart Agriculture (CoESA) in which Smart Irrigation, Agricultural Drones, Agricultural Mechatronics and Software & Sensors come together. Next to that, the delegates are eager to strengthen the cooperation with the Netherlands.
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Lebanese dairy sector receives support from HollandDoor
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Two years after the first meeting with the board of the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST), HollandDoor has started to work with a team of specialists to strengthen the capacity on dairy farming practices in Lebanon. LOST focuses on developing the underdeveloped communities in the regions around Baalbek-Hermel and north Bekaa. It is currently developing an agriculture hub/academy, including a school building, an agro-industry incubator, and partnerships with local farmers.
With the support of Nuffic and the Embassy, HollandDoor has been granted a programme to strengthen the capacity of LOST staff, Ministry of Agriculture extension officers and vocational schools, who are the ‘front line’ in improving livelihoods in the dairy sector. In recent weeks, we started with an inception, which was done online due to travel restrictions. In the coming period, we will start setting up practical training courses and a train-the-trainer program in the field of dairy farm management and value chain management. |
Cedric van Oene, our first affiliated partner
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To expand HollandDoor’s reach in specific regions or networks, we start working with affiliated partners. These are professionals who live abroad but have proven experience in a region, have an extensive network and are familiar with HollandDoor’s services. Such a partner not only markets our services, but also participates in the implementation of our activities, for example as a project manager or trainer.
The first affiliated partner to be welcomed to the HollandDoor team is Cedric van Oene. He lives in New York, USA and is specialized in private sector development, particularly in agro-business, food and market systems, and project management. Read more about Cedric van Oene.
Now, as an affiliated partner at HollandDoor, he's hoping to use some of his expertise and work with you to make a meaningful impact on agro-food development. Click here to read for which purposes you should contact him.
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Korean farmers and consultants inspired by Dutch horticulture
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South Korean-based company Inkium Co. Ltd., known for its extensive range of knowledge services, plays an important role in enhancing the human resource capacity of companies and organizations. At the request of the Korean government, Inkium is training and coaching a group of young farmers and consultants who are poised to become front runners and educators in adopting new horticultural technologies, mainly in tomato and strawberry production.
Inkium asked HollandDoor to organize a one-week tailor-made study tour to the high-tech Dutch greenhouse horticulture sector. The tour emphasized advanced ICT control systems and their fundamental principles to optimize plant growth by monitoring and controlling mainly greenhouse climatic conditions and optimizing the use of resources. The tour also highlighted the emerging field of robotics in greenhouse fruit crop cultivation.
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Agricultural students from Denmark visit the Netherlands
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HollandDoor received a request from Dalum Landbrugsskole (Dalum LS), based in Odense Denmark, to organize a two and a half day-long intensive study tour program for a group of 40 teenagers studying agriculture and their teachers before they visited the Agritechnica exhibition in Hanover, Germany, on Friday 16 November.
In a short yet intensive tour schedule, the students were exposed to the latest technologies in Dutch dairy farming, arable farming, and greenhouse horticulture. The tour showcased both organic and conventional production methods, emphasizing the integration of value chains with consumer markets. A highlight for many was the opportunity to see and discuss different types of agricultural machinery.
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New project launched in Indonesia
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Our regular readers are aware of our longstanding involvement in revitalizing vocational education and training in Indonesia for a number of years. Though it has been almost a year since we completed our last program, we’re excited to announce the start of a new project, authorized by Nuffic and in partnership with IPB University Bogor and BBPPMPV (Centre for Quality Assurance Development of Vocational Education). This project focuses on two innovative themes. The first theme is sustainable fish farming, introducing Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) technology in Indonesian fish farming. The second theme is value chain management, focusing on reducing losses, adhering to quality standards, and complying with regulations at the vocational training level.
We started the program in October with online sessions and will continue with follow-up activities in Indonesia and the Netherlands.
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