In order to facilitate the connections between a Bangladeshi delegation and representatives from the livestock (including dairy) sector in the Netherlands, a multi-stakeholder meeting will take place on Monday, October 29 in The Hague (by invitation only). 

First part of the meeting (starting at 11:00) will take place at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature & Food Quality at Bezuidenhoutseweg 73, 2594 AC in The Hague (NB: visitors need to produce identification).

Second part of the meeting (starting 12:40 with a lunch) will take place at New Babylon Meeting Center, Room 2.3 – Anna van Buerenplein 29, 2595 DA in TheHague.

Bangladesh delegation

Late October, a delegation of high-ranking Bangladeshi officials and representatives of the livestock (including dairy) sector will visit the Netherlands. They will visit companies and institutions, and learn about the livestock sector in the Netherlands, the key value chain actors, enablers and supporters; and also get a grip on the Dutch approach to multi-stakeholder knowledge development. During the visit, the possible (further) collaboration with Dutch actors will be explored.

The mission will be led by the Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock in Bangladesh and will include the DG Livestock, project director and others officials.

Multi-stakeholder meeting

In order to facilitate the connections between the Bangladeshi delegation and institutions and companies from the livestock (including dairy) sector in the Netherlands, a multi-stakeholder meeting will take place on Monday, October 29 in The Hague. This meeting is by invitation only.

Background

The government of Bangladesh is in the process of formulating a new livestock programme, which is expected to be funded through a major loan by the World Bank. In the context of the partnership between the Netherlands and World Bank (the “Food for All” Partnership), an opportunity was seen to also strengthen knowledge relations between the Netherlands and Bangladesh in the livestock sector.

In the course of this year, the potential benefits of collaborating with the Netherlands in the context of this new livestock programme were further explored by the Ministry of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock of Bangladesh in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Dhaka. Various Dutch organizations already made a contribution to this reflection. A study tour for a Bangladeshi delegation to the Netherlands is now being organized to enhance information sharing, further inform the preparatory process of a collaborative agreement, and to boost mutual connections.

The primary objective of further collaboration is poverty reduction and economic development in Bangladesh benefitting rural households and livestock-based value chain actors. Further Bangladesh-Netherlands-WorldBank collaboration would generate opportunities for the Government of Bangladesh to enhance the effectiveness of its policy implementation and poverty reduction strategies, while local institutions and companies would be in a better position to develop beneficial international relations. The Netherlands, and more in particular public and private entities from the livestock sector, could use the opportunity to scale their development impact.

Specific areas for collaboration between Bangladesh and Netherlands will be explored during the study tour. Preliminary areas have been identified, and can be used as entry point for discussions:

• Support the establishment and functioning of a multi-stakeholder livestock knowledge platform in Bangladesh.
• Create a series of innovation challenges on priority themes.
• Create a system of sub-projects that engage Dutch expertise from public and private sector and science and education in co-creating solutions, advisory services and capacity development for specific priority topics
• Establish bilateral research collaboration on a limited number of priority research topics for the livestock sector

Programme

Venue: Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality

11:00      Arrival Dutch guests (Please bring identification, to register at the reception of the Ministry)

11.15      Coffee/tea – informal introductions to delegation

11:30      Challenges of the livestock sector in Bangladesh

By Golam Rabbani from Department of Livestock Services (DLS) in Bangladesh

12:30      Group walks to New Babylon Meeting Center

_ _ _

Venue: New Babylon Meeting Center

12.40      Lunch

13:30      Interactive session

Bangladeshi delegation and Dutch stakeholders discuss major challenges of the livestock sector in Bangladesh, and identify solution areas and the opportunities to collaborate on those.

Interactive group discussions.

15:30      Break

15:45      Introduction to relevant Dutch programmes and knowledge sharing facilities

Pitches by Nuffic (Orange Knowledge Programme), the Food & Business Knowledge Platform and others

16:15      Networking & speed-dating

Opportunity to meet with delegation bilaterally

17:00      Closure