Agri-Business Conclave to bring Dutch tech to local entrepreneurs

Bangladesh Embassy in the Netherlands is convening the Bangladesh-Netherlands Agri-Business Conclave on May 30 in The Hague to forge result-oriented collaboration between the Dutch and Bangladeshi agripreneurs in horticulture, livestock, poultry, fisheries, food processing.

The conclave is expected to be joined by 40 recognised entrepreneurs from Bangladesh engaged in agriculture and food industry.

Several Dutch companies have signed in to participate in the conclave, to be held in collaboration with Wageningen University and Research, the leading global agri-science university.

In the conclave, the Dutch entrepreneurs are expected to share their innovation-technology; and explore possibilities of potential collaboration using Dutch technology-solutions-in Bangladesh, according to the Bangladesh Embassy in The Hague.

The second day of the conclave (May 31), will see the entrepreneurs visit key industry-clusters in Wageningen, Friesland, Boxmeer and World Horti Center for the Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to understand onsite application of Dutch technology.

Last year, for the first time, the embassy could arrange commercial import of mango from Bangladesh to the Netherlands.

This conclave builds on continuing efforts to project Bangladesh agri-food sector as the next big frontier of engagement between the two countries.

A Dutch Trade Mission is expected to be in Bangladesh later this year.

The Netherlands is less than one-third the size of Bangladesh. Yet, it is the second largest exporter of agro products globally.

In 2021, the Netherlands earned over $110 billion by exporting agri-food products.

The Netherlands is a global leader in agro-tech, business and innovation.

While Bangladesh has made significant strides in agricultural production over the past decade, the next opportunity can be seized in export of agro-products.

Advanced Dutch agro-tech can be instrumental in transforming Bangladesh agro sector, as Bangladesh Delta Plan envisages as well.

The embassy conceived this conclave to link the entrepreneurs of the two countries.

Bangladesh's Ambassador to the Netherlands Riaz Hamidullah said that the conclave is a first step in creating a long-term link between the responsible-credible entrepreneurs from Bangladesh with their peers in the Netherlands.

The conclave aims to focus on areas like safe and quality materials, agro-logistics, certified fresh fruits and vegetables, etc.

In organising the conclave, for the first time, the embassy partnered with Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Netherlands Enterprise Agency, Netherlands Food Partnership, Top Sector Agro-Food, CordAid, Dutch-Greenhouse Delta as also Larive International, Standard Chartered Bangladesh and Light-Castle Partners.

Bangladesh ministries of foreign affairs and agriculture are supporting the embassy's initiative.