Did you know that five billion people are expected to live in urban areas in 2030? How can cities continue to feed this urban population sustainably? These topics will be discussed during the Dutch Horticulture Days at the Netherlands Pavilion,Expo 2020 Dubai on Tuesday, 22^ndFebruary 2022. The event will bring together agrifood and horticulture experts from around the world. They will explore new ways to apply an integrated ecosystem approach to boost local food production.

Building self-sufficient food ecosystems

As natural resources become more scarce, important questions came to mind: how can we grow more food while minimizing carbon emissions? And how can we use water and energy resources much more efficiently?

Such questions are particularly relevant for countries in the Gulf region. High temperatures and limited arable land and natural water resources make producing food locally especially challenging. Nevertheless, governments in the Gulf region strive to make greater strides towards food security. Also to reduce dependency on food imports by increasing local food production.

Just like in the Gulf region, food security is a huge priority for the Netherlands. But such an immense task can only be realized through cooperation. The Dutch Horticultural Days offer a platform for governments, companies, and knowledge institutes to share experiences, expertise, and innovation. By pulling together, we can support megacities to become self-sufficient in food production.

Innovative solutions

Dutch horticulture has the knowledge, expertise, and technology to support countries and cities around the world to become more self-reliant in food production. Our innovative technology enables us to produce food efficiently and all year round. Even in the harshest climate conditions.

We strive to create holistic solutions covering water, energy, and food – that can improve food production in regions with unfavorable climate conditions. This will help us to further ensure food security around the world. – Eric Egberts, CEO Dutch Greenhouse Delta

About the Dutch Horticulture Days

An exclusive audience of high-level governmental bodies, investors, entrepreneurs, and retailers is invited to join us to discuss responsible food systems all over the world, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals on 22 February 2022. The event will be organized at the Netherlands Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai and is also available online for viewers from all over the worldThe Dutch horticultural sector presents an exciting line-up of international speakers, a panel discussion with the captains of industry, and workshops with state-of-the-art companies on how an ecosystem approach to innovative horticultural solutions can contribute to global challenges. Connect with the most innovative researchers, entrepreneurs and other change makers from the Netherlands and around the world, and share your ideas.

Program highlights:

On 22^ndFebruary, H. E. Dr.HenkStaghauwer, the Netherlands’ Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality will kick off the program. The event will feature how Dutch high-tech horticulture can make a sustainable contribution to global food security. Dutch Greenhouse Delta, Innovation Quarter and Rotterdam Partners will offer a diverse program. Meiny Prins, EXPO Champion for the Netherlands Pavilion and CEO of Priva will deliver the keynote speech, followed by futurist Christian Kromme, and ‘Head of protected vegetable seeds at Bayer Crop Science’, Anne Williams.

In the panel discussion, captains of industryMark Tester, Sky Kurtz, Dirk Aleven, and AbdulazizAllmula, share their vision on the impact of innovations on future organizations, and leadership in organizations and eco-systems and share their experience and lesson’s learned.

In the afternoon, adiverse group of state-of-the-art Dutch companies organize interactive workshops about Innovation, Vertical Farming, Responsible Production, Climate Action, and Life on Land.

Not in Dubai on February 22^nd? The full program is also available online for viewers from all over the world. Learn more about the details of the program or register for the online program here.

We look forward to welcoming you physically or virtually on February22^nd, 2022!