Dutch firms offer solutions for Qatar food security needs

A number of Dutch horticulture companies, renowned for building and operating high-tech greenhouses, are offering suitable solutions for Qatar to increase local production and help the country attain food security.
Seven Dutch companies, which are all active in the Middle East and the Gulf region, presented their expertise and met with Qatari stakeholders at a horticulture match-making event between Qatar and the Netherlands in Doha yesterday.
It was organised by the embassy of the Netherlands in Doha. “The Netherlands takes pride in being the world’s No 1 in greenhouse horticulture and the world’s leading producer of seeds and vegetables,” Dutch ambassador Dr Bahia Tahzib-Lie said. The envoy added Dutch companies in the horticulture sector are innovative, as well as market and science driven, a reason for a country to be a global trendsetter in such field.
The Netherlands is also the world’s No 2 exporter of food as measured by value, second to the US, according to Dr Tahzib-Lie.
She expressed optimism that the event will open many opportunities to connect and network, and further enhance bilateral horticulture co-operation between the Netherlands and Qatar. The event was attended by Andre Driessen, director of International Enterprises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands, Agrico managing director Nasser Ahmed al-Khalaf, and other Qatari farm owners and investors.
The Dutch companies are: Bom Group, an expert in glass horticulture and a manufacturer of high-tech greenhouses for more than 50 years; Bosman Van Zaal, specialising in tailor-made greenhouse projects based on climate conditions and crop taking; Certhon, an established family company based in Holland with 120-year experience in horticulture and developed a technology for growing many vegetables indoor year round; Priva, a high-tech company that develops hardware, software and services in the field of climate control, energy and optimal reuse of water; Westland International Projects, an expert in designing, building and managing the most advanced professional greenhouses; Aldo Van Os, who owns and operates the organic greenhouse growing company ‘Biokwekerij Aldo van Os BV,’ an expert in organic greenhouse cultivation; and VEK Global Greenhouse Projects, a company that developed complete agro-parks, infrastructure, and distributions centres, among others.
The technology developed by these companies proved to yield high-quality produce in maximum numbers using extremely less water and energy for all climate conditions.
“The Dutch companies are very eager to offer high-tech tailor made solutions to serve Qatar,” the envoy said, citing the country’s “challenging climate conditions” during the summer.
She added that these companies have solutions for such cases that they want to share for increasing the local food production in Qatar.
“To invest in greener sustainability means to believe in tomorrow and to leave a legacy for our children and our grandchildren,” Dr Tahzib-Lie stressed.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, a Qatari government official told reporters that such initiative aims to link potential Qatari investors to technology providers from the Netherlands. “There is a push to further increase the local production in Qatar,” he added.