Last Friday marked a significant milestone as we hosted an engaging seminar aimed at laying the groundwork for a ‘Partners for International Business (PIB)’ initiative, spotlighting smart horticulture opportunities for Dutch companies in the Arab Republic of Egypt.
This seminar was a pivotal part of the “Road toward a Consortium on Climate and Water-Smart Protected Cultivation in Egypt” project, spearheaded by a dynamic consortium comprising the Netherlands-African Business Council (NABC), Delphy, and Dutch Greenhouse Delta (DGD), with invaluable support from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
Held at the Delphy Improvement Center in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands, the seminar was kicked off by Arnoud van Boven, Managing Partner at Delphy, and Mirjam Boekestijn, CEO of DGD. The event showcased insightful presentations from the 3 consortium partners, delving into Delphy’s recent study, enlightening the recent held study tour to Egypt, organised by NABC and key conclusions from DGD, all geared towards assessing market prospects for Dutch enterprises within Egypt’s burgeoning protected horticulture sector.
The seminar continued with a comprehensive overview of PIB components by Christina van der Laan from RVO, a compelling video presentation by Tycho Vermeulen, Agricultural Counsellor of the Netherlands for Egypt and Jordan, and a succinct summary of Clingendael research on the political economy of Egypt’s greenhouse sector by Matteo Colombo.
The overarching goal? Identifying fresh business avenues and solidifying existing engagements, culminating in the implementation of a PIB. Looking ahead, our next steps involve fruitful discussions with interested stakeholders, the submission of our PIB application, and the meticulous crafting of a robust action plan.
The event’s key take-aways
- Market Dynamics: We discussed Egypt’s urgent need for increased food production due to its dynamic environment and growing population. Salah Ali of Delphy summarized the findings of their study to protected horticulture in Egypt. Tycho Vermeulen, Agricultural Counsellor of the Netherlands for Egypt and Jordan, presented a video highlighting these challenges and opportunities, complemented by Matteo Colombo’s summary of Clingendael’s research on Egypt’s political economy and greenhouse sector.
- Sharing Dutch Expertise: The seminar underscored the crucial role of Dutch technology and innovation in advancing Egypt’s horticulture sector. Emphasis was placed on educating local stakeholders about modern horticultural practices.
- Long-term Strategic Partnerships: The importance of forming partnerships with reputable local entities to effectively navigate the Egyptian market was highlighted, along with the need for ongoing engagement to build relationships and credibility.
- Triple Helix Strategy: Christina van der Laan from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) provided an overview of the PIB components, stressing the importance of collaboration among private, public, and academic institutions to ensure sustainable engagement in Egypt’s agricultural sector.
Partners for International Business
Dutch Greenhouse Delta coordinates several PIB-programs such as HortiRoad2India.com, HortiRoad2TheGulf.com and NL Protected Agriculture Alliance China. PIB-programmes offer Dutch organisations the opportunity to engage in public-private partnerships to realize international ambitions, with support of the Dutch government. In a PIB program, we succeed in making essential transitions towards sustainable food systems collectively.
Are you interested in joining this PIB as a Dutch orginasation? Please reach out to Giovanni Angiolini (DGD Director Middle-East & Africa).
