Networking galore at Saudi Agriculture

Opening ceremony

Held at the Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture (MEWA), the mission’s inaugural session featured contributions from Dr Zeyad Abdullah alZeyadi (Acting General Manager at MEWA) and Yara Alangari (Strategic Engagement Director at KAUST university). Mirjam Boekestijn, CEO of Dutch Greenhouse Delta, outlined the collaborative goals of the programme. The keynote address was delivered by Simone Landhuis, Regional Agricultural Councillor at the Netherlands Embassy in Riyadh. It looked at the Dutch model of public-private partnerships and emphasised how these types of approaches could support Saudi Arabia’s agricultural sector through expert collaboration in initiatives like Partners for International Business (PIB).

During the ensuing panel discussion on water management in horticulture, the dialogue focussed on water sustainability in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). The session was moderated by Giovanni Angiolini from Dutch Greenhouse Delta. The panellists included Mirjam van Buchem (NWP), Dr Abdullah Alrajhi (Estidamah), Marc Bakker (eLEAF), and Arjen Janmaat (Ridder). The session outlined water use solutions, which are essential for Saudi Arabia’s arid climate.

The opening ceremony was followed, on the evening of 20 October, by the traditional network reception at the Dutch Ambassador’s residence. Ambassador Hans Peter van der Woude opened the reception, followed by a speech by Simone Landhuis, Regional Agricultural Councillor at the Netherlands Embassy. The event proved to be an excellent opportunity for networking, with guests from both Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands. In an informal setting, high-level people are very approachable, which is essential in fostering good relations.

Buzzing Netherlands Pavilion at Saudi Agriculture trade exhibition

During the kick-off meeting for all participants of the Netherlands Pavilion, Mirjam Boekestijn, Simone Landhuis, and Lydia Aalpoel (RVO, Netherlands Enterprise Agency) presented the plans for a Dutch Partners in Business programme (PIB), a subsidy model for public-private partnerships. Water management and water treatment is an essential part of the ‘Water for Green’ PIB programme and several organisations expressed their interest in joining. The PIB is still open for registration and anyone interested can get more information from Mirjam van Buchem, NWP’s project manager.

The Netherlands Pavilion, executed by Export Partner, again had a dominant presence at the Saudi Agriculture trade exhibition which was held from 21-24 October. The Pavilion was the focal point for interaction between Dutch companies and Saudi representatives that included MEWA, NEOM, and KAUST. His Excellency Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli, the Saudi Minister of Environment, Water & Agriculture, and Hans Peter van der Woude, the Dutch Ambassador, met at the Netherlands Pavilion, reinforcing bilateral ties.

The Dutch Contribution to Saudi’s Food Security Strategy

During the exhibition, there were ample opportunities for networking and partner engagements. Dutch delegates, including Joe Cherian (Technimex/Flowheel), Ahmed Tawfik (Nijhuis Saur Industries), Marc Bakker (eLEAF), and Marcel Kers and his team (PlantLab), had several meetings to explore strategic partnerships. Other exhibitors engaged actively on the exhibition floor to explore prospective collaborations.

Panel debate

As part of the exhibition, there was a panel debate on the Dutch contribution to Saudi’s food security strategy. This strategy is an integral part of the Saudi Vision 2030 programme. The debate focused on collaborative efforts between the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia in advancing food security, especially in CEA and water management. The panel discussion underscored the value of the Dutch-Saudi collaboration on the topic of food security in the future. Panellists included:

• Mirjam Boekestijn, CEO, Dutch Greenhouse Delta
• Dr Abdelaziz Al Harbi, Professor of Horticulture, King Saud University
• Mirjam van Buchem, Senior Project Manager, Netherlands Water Partnership
• Ivo Meijer, Strategic Account Manager International, Westland Municipality

The panel explored the role of Dutch technology in supporting Saudi food security, covering areas like resource-efficient crop production. Mirjam van Buchem of NWP discussed the adoption of sustainable Dutch solutions in Saudi agriculture and the importance of collaboration. 

K2K programme

The K2K programme, organised by Dutch Greenhouse Delta, was held on Wednesday 23 October. Consultant Giovanni Angiolini and trainer Marc de Ruiter showed students around the Netherlands Pavilion. The students were inspired by the Pavilion tour and showed a broad interest in both sustainable agriculture and water management. It was a pleasure to see the future of Saudi’s water and agriculture sectors being so active and engaged.

Next steps and future opportunities 

Several next steps were identified and discussed during the trade mission, including meetings at COP16 and MEWA’s Sustainability Innovation Week in December 2024. The Water for Green PIB programme on water, horticulture, and agriculture in the Middle East also presents future opportunities. 

REEF

Another opportunity is the first international forum for Saudi REEF. The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture (MEWA) and KAUST university will jointly organise the event, which is part of the rural development programme at Al Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia. The event will be held on 16-18 December 2024 and Dutch organisations were invited to participate in the exhibition during the forum event. The Dutch water sector is requested to present their technology solutions and innovations, and the participation costs will be covered by the organisers of the REEF event. More information is available in the REEF brochure. Anyone interested in joining can contact Mirjam van Buchem by email.

Meeting at the Embassy

One of the next steps was a meeting that has already taken place! Directly after NWP’s Mirjam van Buchem landed back at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, she and her NWP colleague Sabrina Kraaijenbrink-Doetjes met with His Highness Prince Jalawi Al Saud at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in The Hague. They talked about the outcomes of the trade mission to Saudi Agriculture and discussed future activities for collaboration.

All in all, the trade mission programme further built on the robust foundation that had been created at previous activities at Saudi Agriculture and strengthened the ties between Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands for ongoing collaboration in water and agriculture. The plans for future initiatives and knowledge exchange drafted during the week will drive more impactful developments in Saudi Arabia.