Greaseman

“We are the greaseman of food security”

BOB BRONSHOFF

The Netherlands Food Partnership connects parties involved in food security. Director Myrtille Danse: “The Zero Hunger Lab is taking a fresh look at the issue.”

Text: Peter de Jong

What are the goals of the Netherlands Food Partnership?

“The NFP is an independent foundation created to optimize the Dutch contribution to food security. We have four challenges: equal access and distribution of food; healthy diet; resilient ecosystems; and peace, justice, and stability. We help establish the right lines of communication between the parties here in the Netherlands and those in the developing world. We are the greaseman in the world of food security.

For example, we put a seed breeding company like Rijk Zwaan in touch with knowledge institutes and farmers’ organizations in developing countries, so that such a company can transfer its knowledge of professional fruit and vegetable growing to local farmers in the best possible way.

We also ensure that Dutch organizations learn from people in developing countries, for example about the changing climate conditions that farmers face there. On the one hand, you see areas suffering from desertification and, on the other, more flooding in coastal areas. Areas where coffee was previously easy to grow are now experiencing diseases and pests normally found in warmer areas.”

Will we make it: no more world hunger by 2030?

“We are the first generation to be able to achieve that goal. In addition, we want healthy food. Obesity is also a problem in developing countries because people eat too much cheap, unhealthy, fattening food. In that context, it is interesting that the new government wants to make healthy food cheaper.”

What is the role of the Zero Hunger Lab?

“We have only been working together for a short time, since 2021, but the experience with the ZHL has been excellent. The humanitarian aid community could very well use their statistics and models. ZHL researchers are taking a fresh look at the food issue. They are pragmatic and like to think outside the box. With their data science, they help farmers in developing countries with digitization, so that knowledge transfer to and communication with farmers is as efficient as possible. If farmers there will soon be able to manage many things digitally, this will lead to higher and better production of food – and that, of course, is what it’s all about. Yes, it is very useful to have the ZHL in our network.”