Toespraak van staatssecretaris Van Dam bij de Pop-Up Educational Seminar

Toespraak | 03-11-2016

Ladies and gentlemen,

Use less salt, iodised whenever possible. Avoid alcoholic drinks. Make sure your water and food are clean and safe. Eat a varied diet. Eat fruit and vegetables every day.

These are 4out of 8 recommendations on diet issued by the FAO to the people of Namibia. One of the many developing countries where one-sided diets and malnutrition are commonplace.

Ever since the Second World War, recommendations like these have been issued in every country, both by the FAO and the national authorities.

As we all know, today we face some serious worldwide challenges. Like figuring out how we’re going to feed nine billion people by 2050. Fighting hunger and malnutrition. And also preventing obesity and unhealthy diets. At the same time, we need to adapt to climate change and to stop the decline of biodiversity.

These are not just challenges for governments. We need the business community to help find solutions. We need you. And here you are! National and international partners. Innovators in abundance! Producers of potatoes, tomatoes, apples and many more safe and healthy foods.

Businesses that reach across the globe, and entrepreneurs that have access to infrastructure on every continent. There is a wealth of potential gathered here today. Beyond a doubt, we can respond to the challenges we face.

My message to you today is about this response.

First, you have a major responsibility to consumers to offer them a wide choice of healthy and sustainable products. We need to continue working on this together, hand in hand.

Second, international trade is essential in meeting these challenges. Stronger international trade in food has already proved successful in ensuring a global supply of healthy, high-quality fruit and vegetables at competitive prices the whole year round. Market access and better logistics chains are a big asset.

And third, I can already see that more people today have access to better and healthier food. There’s more fresh food on the market, produced using better, more sustainable methods. This is something we’ll have to build on to meet the growing needs of future generations.

I’d now like to share some ideas on each of those subjects:

1. First, our shared responsibility;
2. Second, the importance of global business trade;
3.  And third, why we need to do even better.

First, how should we enhance our shared responsibility for meeting these global challenges?

Agreed, the government has to create the right conditions. And I am doing my very best to do so. But governments can’t do it alone. At the end of the day, companies produce, buy and sell products. You know how to reach consumers.

The Dutch agrifood sector has the right potential to strengthen your ambitions. Thanks to long-term investment in knowledge and innovation, the Netherlands is now a leading player. We are able to produce high-quality products safely, healthily and efficiently. 

We have over 6,500 horticultural businesses of all kinds, working with some 165 fruit and vegetable processing businesses.

What’s more, the Netherlands is the world’s second-largest exporter of agricultural products and materials, after the United States.

Last year our exports totalled 90 billion euros. The fruit and vegetable sector is the country’s third-largest export sector. It accounts for almost 14 billion euros – processed products included. That’s a fifth of our national goods exports. The Netherlands imports from 107 countries around the world, and supplies fresh fruit and vegetables to 150 countries. These figures illustrate my second theme: the importance of global trade.

On 16 October we celebrated World Food Day in Rotterdam. On that occasion, I visited Opticool, the international fruit trading company based in Rotterdam. My visit deepened my awareness of the added value of international trade systems and food infrastructure.

Opticool is a very smart trade specialist. Their highly effective and efficient storage and packaging system provides consumers with a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. Including pineapples and mangoes, for instance, which Dutch farmers can’t produce in the Netherlands.

You also know better than anyone else how crucial it is to overcome trade barriers. The Dutch government can be your partner in this strategy of open trade systems. We’ve recently helped Dutch companies to export their apples to Vietnam, their bell peppers to China and their pears to Brazil.

Which brings me to my third theme: why we need to do even better. Excelling on low prices and high volumes will not suffice.

In the future, you’ll have to be constantly searching for innovative methods that are healthy for the planet and for people.

It’s time for a new production model. A model that fosters efficiency, high-quality products and sustainable methods. This will help make the label 'Made in Holland' a true hallmark. A hallmark of inventiveness, and of innovative quality.

A hallmark of healthy food, produced sustainably on the basis of the latest concepts and knowledge, and the most advanced technologies. Because, of course, the 'Made in Holland' label couldn’t exist without our researchers and educational institutions. Like the world-renowned Wageningen University.

From the government’s perspective, we’re looking for innovation that delivers practical solutions. Take the newly designed Growboxx. This simple box allows families and small farmers to plant trees and plants in dry areas while conserving water. 

Or take greenhouses that generate energy, seed selection for crops that can withstand harsh climates, and seed potatoes that are now being used in Africa.

Over the years, we’ve also exported our collaborative working methods in the horticulture sector. They are now being copied by start-ups in various countries.

But what more could you do? Tomorrow’s global market offers many opportunities, both existing and new. Ask yourselves one simple question, ‘What is my unique selling point as an individual entrepreneur, as a company?’ And then look for your own unique partners and markets, and work on new cross-over technologies, or apply sustainable production methods. And if possible take an active part in our joint efforts to inspire healthy and sustainable food choices. We can start by sharing our ideas during today’s seminar.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I started with the FAO diet recommendations for Namibia. But institutions worldwide have issued guidelines for all countries, including ours.

While half of the world’s population suffers from food shortages or hunger, the other half suffers from unhealthy eating habits and food-related conditions like obesity.

I am certain the Amsterdam Produce Show will inspire you in finding your own solutions to our global challenges and those of generations to come. I can heartily recommend a tour of the exhibits. I look forward to meeting many of you later, and maybe sharing a healthy fruit salad with you.

Thank you.