Toespraak bij de 'Green Genetics Round Table Meeting' in Beijing

Toespraak | 24-10-2008

Excellencies, distinguished professors, ladies and gentlemen.

First of all I would like to say what an honour it is to address this important seminar on green genetics. This is my third visit to the beautiful country of China, and I never fail to be impressed by the developments here and the warm hospitality.

The People's Republic of China and the Netherlands have developed an excellent relationship in the field of agriculture and food production. Cooperation between our countries in the last decade has intensified and broadened bilateral trade and investment relations. Our ministries of agriculture are making progress in joint efforts to improve agricultural production chains in terms of both quantity and quality, and particularly with regard to agricultural trade and research.

The opening, last year, of the Sino-Dutch Agricultural Innovation and Promotion Centre, a joint initiative of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Wageningen University and Research Centre, illustrates the success of our cooperation. This unique platform facilitates joint research, innovative projects and the exchange of scientific results and information between Chinese experts and entrepreneurs.

This Centre reflects the confidence both countries have in the strategic and fruitful development of bilateral cooperation in the short term. An example of this cooperation is the participation of Wageningen UR in a programme with important Chinese stakeholders, to improve the performance of the potato chain in the eastern part of your country: a very ambitious and important initiative, to which all the partners are fully committed.

We are still facing the worldwide consequences of the food crisis, and there are no easy answers. First and foremost we have to respond by once again substantially increasing investments in sustainable agriculture.

In many countries productivity can and should be considerably improved in a sustainable way. Agriculture is one of the main driving forces behind economic growth and the alleviation of poverty in developing countries. International policies over the last decade have neglected agriculture.

Take the recent steep rise in food prices, which has also affected Chinese markets. One of the main causes is low production and poor yields. Productivity should be improved, by sharing knowledge, developing sustainable production chains, supporting local and regional markets and providing more market access.

The Netherlands is committed to a long-term, integrated and coherent approach to food security and agricultural development.

The Netherlands has a lot to offer in this respect: agricultural business skills, technologies, knowledge and experience. Improving productivity innovation and sustainability are key concepts. Improving productivity also requires many different types of agriculture, suited to local conditions and capable of satisfying local demand and local requirements.

Green genetics can contribute towards these challenges by breeding plant-varieties which produce higher yields, are resistant to diseases or which can grow in almost any conditions.

Scientific and technological progress through public-private partnerships, especially in plant biotechnology and genomics, will play a crucial role in achieving the transition to sustainability.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today we focus on the starting point of the production chain for food crops, but also for flowers: plant-breeding and the production of seeds and plant-propagation material. The basis for plant-breeding and plant-propagation is genetics.

In the Netherlands we use the term Green Genetics to underline our commitment to an innovative approach to plant breeding. As a result of this commitment, the Technological Top institute Green Genetics was founded, in a joint effort of plant-breeding companies, the Netherlands government and Universities.

Nowadays, in plant-breeding we use the fruits of technological developments from the life sciences over the last ten years. These developments were not restricted to Europe. Especially in China, life sciences technology has developed at a rapid pace. In terms of genetics, China is currently one of the world leaders in generating experimental data and providing innovative insights for a wide variety of species.

The progress China has made in this field is clearly reflected by the activities at this Institute. This institute worked together with the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to map the DNA sequences of the cucumber. This is just one example of the outstanding achievements of Chinese scientists. It has also formed the basis for a venture in which Chinese and Dutch knowledge institutes and companies will carry out joint fundamental and applied research on breeding and will cooperate in the commercial application of the findings.

This project is now being set up and will be partly funded by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture. I hope that it will be the starting point for a long-lasting collaboration between China and The Netherlands on the basis of public private partnerships.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Netherlands has a unique position in breeding and production of plant propagation material. Based on a combination of good enterprise and a sound research environment, the sector is playing an important role worldwide. In order to maintain and strengthen this position, it is crucial for the Netherlands to create long lasting partnerships with centers of excellence in agricultural sciences throughout the world. These partnerships are also needed to meet the growing demands of farmers, processing industries, retailers and, above all, consumers.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As you may know plant-breeding is an expensive and time-consuming activity. A new vegetable or flower variety can take a good 10 years to develop. After that, the variety may survive on the market for a period of 5 or 6 years. This is a very short time to generate sale revenues. For the continuity of plant-breeding companies, and to secure revenues on their investments, it is very important that their rights for plant varieties are respected and implemented.

And although the Chinese Government is in favour or establishing and implementing plant-breeders rights, I believe that the current situation can be improved. This would also benefit China, because it will encourage breeders to introduce their most innovative and promising varieties into the Chinese market.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The attention of the world is once more on agriculture, and the sector stands on the threshold of the development and implementation of important innovations. Green genetics companies are by far the most efficient and technologically advanced players for breeding new and sustainable plant varieties which are not only attractive to the consumer, but also resistant to pests and environmental conditions.

Plant production chains in all the different global agricultural and climate zones depend on their varieties and expertise. We now understand that we have to invest in agriculture, food and non-food production and that we have to find a way to disengage our claim on nature and biodiversity from economic development. This means we need to opt for sustainable changes. Science and trade will have a great impact on the realization of our ambitions and the challenges for agriculture. This also brings responsibilities.

The Netherlands and China are on the right track: working together at the level of the government, companies and knowledge institutions. For example, in the international year of the Potato, China and the Netherlands are partners in the Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium. This aims to map and analyse the full DNA sequence of the potato, and to deliver fundamental information and improved prospects for potato breeding. I am confident that at the end of this programme the potato production chain will benefit greatly from our joint endeavour.

I trust we can expand our excellent mutual relations, because when we work together, we have much to give the world.

Xiexie, thank you.