The Horticulture Cluster Westland- Oostland: a regional approach Seinjoki 2014 June 11 ERIAFF Conference: Sustainable Food Systems Drs. Marga Vintges, Municipality of Westland

Outline of the presentation Horticulture in the Netherlands Greenports, a regional approach Development, experiences and innovations Knowledge development International approach 2

Horticulture in the Netherlands Fruits and vegetables Bulbs, flowers, plants and trees - Cultivation: outdoor and in greenhouses - In regional clusters This presentation focusses on Greenhouse based horticulture clusters 3

Horticulture in the Netherlands 4

5 Horticulture is a Dutch top sector The agenda: More with less: innovative solutions with less space, water, energy and minerals; Food safety and security; Health and well-being: innovative solutions that provide healthy food and a healthy living and working environment; Cooperating value chain: innovative solutions that contribute to efficient and sustainable chains;

9 top sectors and cross overs 6

7 What is a Greenport? A large horticulture cluster of different companies, in the supply chain, in spatial terms and in a concentration of production, delivery, trade, distribution and processing, which are strongly interlinked. Greenports: Regional Horticlusters

Greenport Westland-Oostland 8

Our role as a local government Focussing on horticultural development and innovation. Stimulating modern greenhouse horticulture. Facilitate economic activities in agriculture, finding new markets, through sustainable growing of healthy, user-friendly products and concepts. Stimulating international cooperation 9

Key success factor: all the needed experiences are available So as there are in Greenport Westland-Oostland: 1. Propagation material and seed selections 2. Technical equipment: greenhouses, water / heating / climate control / cooling etc. 3. Crop management 4. Agro logistic knowledge (Fresh products) 5. Marketing experience (Auction Flora Holland) 6. Knowledge institutes 10

11 Development of the area: 60 years ago Amsterdam The Hague Rotterdam

12 Today Amsterdam The Hague Rotterdam Westland

13

14 Greenhouses in the area

15 Recent Innovations Electricity production by cogeneration Different types of (Semi)-closed Greenhouses Sustainable water use Sustainable crop protection Global economic scale of operation Investments in new equipment to increase productivity in order to stay in competition Thermal storage and geothermal energy

Protected cultivation: better conditions 16 Open field: 80 litre water per kg tomatoes Completely controlled greenhouses: 4 litre water per kg tomatoes

17 Artificial light: extra lux and to change day- night rhythm

LED light 18

19 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Jaar energie-efficientie(%1980) werkelijke ontwikkeling doelstelling Energy efficiency in the greenhouse sector Real development goal

Geothermal drilling 20

CO2 distribution to greenhouses (red line) 21

22 Water storage cellar

Water reuse system 23 pourwater after beforedesinfection Supply unit rain wellbore

Biological crop protection In vegetables normally only biological crop protection In flower and plant production less chemicals are used Example: DELPHIBUG Delphastus catalinae (predatory beetle). Packaging: bottle Contents: 1,000 predatory beetles (adults) in buckwheat hulls. Combats Greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) and cotton whitefly (Bemisia tabaci), all phases, with a preference for eggs and larvae. 24

25 Packing station for vegetables

26 Agro-logistics business parks

27 Logistics for fresh product (reefer)

Logistic connections 28

Knowledge development Westland- Oostland 29 -Vocational education - Applied universities -Universities

Knowledge transfer Westland-Oostland 30 education lifelong learning valori sation inter national facilities companies education research

Connection with EURO 2020 and worldwide challenges There will be 9 billion people to feed Most of them living in metropolitan areas Food safety and food security With less use of materials, water and energy Our offer Experience Knowledge Cooperation 31

International cooperation - China - Japan - Germany - Many other countries and areas We would like to cooperate with other horticultural regions! mgmvintges@gemeentewestland.nl 32

Conclusion The Greenport is A unique cluster in size and completeness The most knowledge intensive horticulture complex The Netherlands and Europe have gold in their hands! 33

Thank you 34 ?