UAE, and Kazakh delegations visit the Netherlands to learn about greenhouse horticulture

Key-note speech of Her Excellency Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, at GreenTech.

WESTLAND, Netherlands: Trade delegations from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Kazakhstan have visited the Netherlands in week 24 to learn about Dutch greenhouse production, and applications of research and development.

At the top horticulture technology event GreenTech Amsterdam government entities, investing companies, growers, academics, and private sector representatives spoke to horticultural engineering companies, greenhouse builders, and Dutch government agencies, as well as attending the world horticulture expo Floriade in Almere.

UAE’s minister of Climate Change and Environment, Mrs Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri headed a delegation of government entities, growers, youth, and business entrepreneurs.  Tamabek Abylkhair Galymuly, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan led the incoming mission from Kazakhstan.

Keynote speech of UAE’s Minister Almheiri at GreenTech

Minister Almheiri of the UAE delivered a keynote speech at GreenTech’s opening ceremony on Tuesday 14 June. She explained how the UAE aims to become a global hub for food innovation and technology just like the Netherlands.

Jan Kees Goet, secretary-general of the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, referenced Russia’s atrocius invasion of Ukraine, which has made people aware that food security is not always guaranteed. He also described the global pandemic as a wake-up call with the Covid-19 virus  disrupting the global supply chain.  “The key is to co-create by working with partners overseas to find local answers to global challenges while drawing expertise from high technology sectors, robotics, and artificial intelligence,” he said.

The UAE Minister and Jan Kees Goet put their signatures to MOU later in the morning.

Dutch knowledge and technology as an answer

Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mr Tamabek Abulkhair Galymovich.

Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mr Tamabek Abulkhair Galymovich brought forward the massive governmental support to develop horticulture in his country with various incentives and subsidies, a business-friendly environment, and investor’s rights protection.

Kazakhstan sees Dutch agriculture and horticulture technology and knowledge as an answer to Kazakhstan’s demand for self-sufficiency in food production, increased labour productivity, and eco-system development.

The Kazakh dignatary also met with the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food, Mr. Staghouwer to discuss economic relations and explore opportunites to boost collaboration and strengthening trade and investments between the two countries.

Organisers of the trade missions include Dutch Greenhouse Delta, a provider of Dutch expertise in protected cropping,  the Dutch Embassy in the UAE, Innovation Quarter, Netherlands Enterprise Agency, and Rotterdam Partners in association with the Dutch sector body for glasshouse construction and equipment (AVAG), GreenTech, HortiHeroes, NLWorks, the Council of Agriculture in the UAE, Top Sector Horticulture and Starting Materials and World Horti Center.

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