Dutch firms offer solutions for Qatar food security needs

A number of Dutch horticulture companies, renowned for building andoperating high-tech greenhouses, are offering suitable solutions forQatar to increase local production and help the country attain foodsecurity.Seven Dutch companies, which are all active in the Middle East and theGulf region, presented their expertise and met with Qatari stakeholdersat a horticulture match-making event between Qatar and the Netherlandsin Doha yesterday. It was organised by the embassy of the Netherlands in Doha. “TheNetherlands takes pride in being the world’s No 1 in greenhousehorticulture and the world’s leading producer of seeds and vegetables,”Dutch ambassador Dr Bahia Tahzib-Lie said. The envoy added Dutchcompanies in the horticulture sector are innovative, as well as marketand science driven, a reason for a country to be a global trendsetter insuch 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 toconnect and network, and further enhance bilateral horticultureco-operation between the Netherlands and Qatar. The event was attendedby Andre Driessen, director of International Enterprises of the Ministryof Foreign Affairs, Netherlands, Agrico managing director Nasser Ahmedal-Khalaf, and other Qatari farm owners and investors.The Dutch companies are: Bom Group, an expert in glass horticulture and amanufacturer of high-tech greenhouses for more than 50 years; BosmanVan Zaal, specialising in tailor-made greenhouse projects based onclimate conditions and crop taking; Certhon, an established familycompany based in Holland with 120-year experience in horticulture anddeveloped a technology for growing many vegetables indoor year round;Priva, a high-tech company that develops hardware, software and servicesin the field of climate control, energy and optimal reuse of water;Westland International Projects, an expert in designing, building andmanaging the most advanced professional greenhouses; Aldo Van Os, whoowns and operates the organic greenhouse growing company ‘BiokwekerijAldo van Os BV,’ an expert in organic greenhouse cultivation; and VEKGlobal Greenhouse Projects, a company that developed completeagro-parks, infrastructure, and distributions centres, among others.The technology developed by these companies proved to yield high-qualityproduce in maximum numbers using extremely less water and energy forall climate conditions. “The Dutch companies are very eager to offer high-tech tailor madesolutions 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 theywant to share for increasing the local food production in Qatar. “To invest in greener sustainability means to believe in tomorrow and toleave a legacy for our children and our grandchildren,” Dr Tahzib-Liestressed.Speaking on the sidelines of the event, a Qatari government officialtold reporters that such initiative aims to link potential Qatariinvestors to technology providers from the Netherlands. “There is a pushto further increase the local production in Qatar,” he added.