Horticulture and potential for food and nutrition security

Horticulture and its contribution to food and nutrition security is a potential theme for the knowledge agenda of the Food & Business Knowledge Platform. This is because of the clear interest from various stakeholder groups of the ‘Dutch diamond’ in this sector.

Initial explorative meetings to shape collaboration on this theme within the Platform have taken place between the Top Sector Horticulture and Starting Materials and the F&BKP Office over the past few months. These have resulted in an agreement to start an explorative study on the contribution of the horticultural sector to issues including income generation, nutrition security and gender equality in Africa. The added value of this sector will also be compared to that of other economic Top Sectors in which Dutch government investments are made. The study is important to articulate the role of the horticultural sector in contributing to Food and Nutrition Security and to start the conversation about a possible expansion of the knowledge agenda with relevant national and international stakeholders.

While preparing this study, the Office of the F&BKP has been in touch with several other Dutch actors working on this theme, from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Agri-ProFocus to various NGOs. The aim of this contact is to make sure that efforts to build a knowledge agenda in the area of horticulture & development are coordinated where appropriate.

Terms of Reference for the explorative study will be published on our website soon. If you have a particular interest in the potential knowledge agenda on horticulture, please contact the Office of the F&BKP.