|
|
| If you cannot read this newsletter, click here to view this email in your browser |
 |
|
|
 |
| July 2025 |
|
 |
|
Dear ,
Enjoy reading our newest newsletter.
After welcoming two new members in the beginning of the year, we now inform you on a change in the board of HollandDoor. From June 2025 onwards, after five years as a member of the HollandDoor management team, Engelie Beenen is handing over the role of chair of Cooperative HollandDoor to Geerten van der Lugt. This transition reflects the shared agreement within our cooperative to rotate these responsibilities every three to five years, as all members of HollandDoor contribute on an equal footing to the organization.
This agreed rotation of leadership ensures our cooperative benefits from diverse insights and our continuous renewal, strengthening our collective impact. By combining the knowledge base and networks of its members, HollandDoor is able to achieve a complete package of expertise and relations for international professionals who want to learn from, or be linked to, the Dutch agricultural sector. If you want to make use of our expertise or relations, please contact us.
Ad, Cedric, Engelie, Geerten, Jan Willem, Jos, Lisanne, Marian, Niek, René.
|
|
Building capacity in Moldova's vegetable sector
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
HollandDoor is currently leading a capacity-building project in Moldova, specifically focused on strengthening the country’s vegetable industry. The project aims to equip vegetable growers with more efficient and more modern cultivation techniques.The overarching goal is to modernize Moldova’s vegetable sector, increase its competitiveness and reduce the country’s reliance on imports.
As part of the project, HollandDoor experts Niek Botden and Geerten van der Lugt have established demonstration sites at two local greenhouses. These serve as hands-on training hubs where growers can learn about and apply these new methods. Training is delivered both on-site in Moldova and remotely through online troubleshooting and interactive Q&A sessions.
This initiative forms part of HollandDoor’s wider commitment to the horticultural sector in Moldova and represents a significant step towards a more sustainable, productive and self-reliant vegetable industry in the country.
|
|
Moroccan fisheries delegation explores Dutch aquaculture
|
|
|
Morocco has set ambitious goals to create 450,000 jobs in the maritime fisheries and agri-food industries, with 200 new aquaculture farms established in 2024. However, the sector faces modernization challenges such as limited technical expertise and the need to strengthen connections between higher education and private sector needs. To help address these issues, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) invited HollandDoor to organize an aquaculture learning visit. In early May, four professionals from Morocco’s Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests took part in an intensive study tour of Dutch aquaculture operations, focusing on practical solutions for sustainable fisheries development.
The delegation started off in Dutch shellfish country (Zeeland), where they visited various aquaculture farms. They met also representatives from HZ University of Applied Sciences, Scalda and Zone.college who explained how their research and educational programmes are tailored to meet the needs of the regional private sector. The tour ended with a meeting with a representative of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature to discuss the challenges and opportunities for cooperation in higher education, as well as potential collaborations to address aquaculture challenges in North Africa.
|
|
Three-day training for Mexican strawberry growers
|
|
|
HollandDoor recently provided a three-day training programme for Mexican strawberry growers, organized in collaboration with Consultoría Agrícola en Cultivos Hidropónicos de Alto Valor and the association Aglobal. Mexico ranks among the world’s top five strawberry-producing countries. However, growers are facing challenges as the industry switches from traditional open-field cultivation to methods using substrates and climate control.
From 9 to 11 June, our colleagues Geerten van der Lugt and Jan Willem van de Pol shared in-depth insights into all aspects of Dutch intensive strawberry cultivation, covering high-tech greenhouses as well as plastic tunnels. The main focus was on fertilization, irrigation and climate control.
After the training, each participant was presented with a certificate of completion. The following day, the group visited GreenTech in Amsterdam to stay up to date with the latest developments in intensive horticulture.
These were intensive, constructive and informative days. We look forward to continued collaboration with these growers.
|
|
Georgian and Armenian businesses explore Dutch horticulture
|
|
From 9 to 13 June horticultural business owners from Georgia and Armenia had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Dutch horticulture sector. In collaboration with TBSC Consulting, HollandDoor organized a dynamic and insightful programme full of knowledge sharing and matchmaking opportunities.
The programme included participation in key events such as the Dutch Greenhouse Delta networking event, FlowerTrials and GreenTech. In addition, the delegation visited several renowned Dutch technology providers.The delegation comprised both vegetable and flower producers involved in protected and open-field cultivation. Participants returned home with a wealth of new insights, ideas and inspiration to strengthen their own businesses.
|
|
Empowering sustainable agriculture in Basra, Iraq
|
|
|
HollandDoor recently organized a specialized training programme in Basra, Iraq, for agricultural professionals. The main objective of this initiative was to equip these professionals to effectively guide local farmers in adopting sustainable agricultural techniques, with a particular focus on addressing the pressing challenges of salinity and water scarcity in the region.
Agricultural professionals in Basra play a vital role in advising farmers on production methods. In an area severely impacted by salinization and water shortages, it is paramount that these advisors possess and share knowledge about Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) and techniques resilient to saline and dry conditions. Participants gained deep insights into Basra’s unique agricultural challenges, such as water scarcity and salinization, and learned practical techniques for their effective management.
This training has significantly contributed to increasing the knowledge and skills of local agricultural advisors. They are now able to effectively support farmers in implementing sustainable, climate-resilient agricultural techniques, ultimately boosting food security and the resilience of the agricultural community in Iraq.
|
|
Visit of Federation of Thai industries to the Netherlands
|
|
In early June, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) visited the Netherlands to study the country’s innovative agri-food sectors.
The programme began with a visit to the World Horti Center, where the delegation took part in an in-depth discussion about how the horticultural sector has organized its Greenports Models and how strategies are implemented in collaboration with all players in the sector. The group spent the second day at Food-X, including a visit to the World Food Valley where they learned about the Netherlands’ innovative food sector ecosystem. The two-day programme concluded with visits and presentations from several startups.
|
|
Boosting Kurdistan horticulture
|
|
|
The horticultural sector in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) is seeing a growing shift towards protected cultivation. To ensure a stronger market position and compete with imports, we are launching a pilot project focused on business and value chain improvements, going beyond ongoing developments in cultivation practices.This project aims to improve cooperation, efficiency, profitability, quality and sustainability along the tomato and cucumber value chains in the Sulaymaniyah Governorate. Building on a previous needs assessment conducted in 2024, the project will run until the end of 2026, fostering collaboration between value chain stakeholders and implementing improvements based on identified market needs and opportunities.
The project will kick off with sessions designed to build a common understanding of value chain principles, post-harvest management and effective cooperation between farmers and traders. The focus will then be on guiding and monitoring the agreed intervention plans and actions, providing coaching sessions, solving challenges and facilitating meetings among participants. Domestic market exposure visits are also an integral part of the learning experience, allowing participants to learn from each other.
|
|
HollandDoor joins economic mission to Indonesia
|
|
 |
|
From 15 to 19 June HollandDoor took part in an intensive yet fruitful Horticultural Economic Mission to Indonesia . As a long-standing partner in Indonesia’s horticultural development, our presence was a natural fit.
Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest consumer market, boasts a young population of 280 million with increasing purchasing power and demanding high-quality, safe food. This, coupled with the national drive to reduce food imports and become a net exporter, presents significant opportunities.
The mission included 32 Dutch horticultural companies specialising in areas such as seeds, technology, training and finance. The week began with a seminar on sustainable horticulture, matchmaking sessions and engaging panel discussions in which we played an active part. This day highlighted Indonesia’s ambitions, especially its focus on boosting sustainable local food production, accelerating the adoption of technology and building local capacity. Highlights included a visit to the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture for discussions on collaborations on food security and sustainability, as well as a meeting with East West Seed to address challenges in the seed business. I
The mission concluded in Jakarta with planning for follow-up actions. HollandDoor looks back with great satisfaction on a perfectly organized week.
|
|
Western Australian open-field vegetable and fruit farmers draw
inspiration from Dutch greenhouse growers
|
|
VegetablesWA, part of AusVeg from Western Australia, has spent two weeks touring Denmark and the Netherlands with a group of 12 vegetable and fruit tree farmers.
Most farmers in Western Australia still largely grow their produce in open fields, but rising temperatures and drier conditions are now forcing them to consider investing in technology to optimize growing conditions. The group also sought inspiration from growers in Denmark and the Netherlands on a complete package of business management and supply chain operations.
HollandDoor was invited to organize a tailored one-day study tour programme, which took place on 30 June 2025. It was a whirlwind day with five different company visits and lively discussions, both during the visits and on the road, centred around the similarities and differences between Australia and the Netherlands.
|
|
|
