New investments by province towards more sustainable agriculture and horticulture

With € 20 million commitment, the province wants to provoke a total investment of € 80 million. With the goal of making Limburg one of the leading agricultural and horticultural regions in the world. Deputy Hubert Mackus explains: "Dutch agriculture and horticulture is leading in the world. Nowhere is there more knowledge when it comes to growing and cultivating. But society demands more sustainable agriculture and horticulture. We must produce more in cycles, with less impact on the environment, with more attention to biodiversity and climate, and with less energy consumption. And all this with a growing world population. The challenges are great, but so are the qualities of Limburg's agrifood sector. If we can tackle these challenges anywhere, then this is the place to do it.

Four investment lines

Limburg wants to divide the money over four investment lines. "One of the things we were inspired by was a 24-hour session with entrepreneurs, knowledge institutions and authorities from the Limburg agrifood world. This clearly showed that Limburg's agrifood can offer solutions to major themes such as climate change, circular production and sufficient healthy food. This is what we as a province want to focus on."

Mission Driven

The first line is 'mission-driven' innovation: the use of high-quality knowledge and expertise for the sustainable development of Limburg's agrifood sector. An important part of this is the further development of Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo. This means that less money goes directly to primary companies. Instead, these companies will be encouraged to participate in research at the Brightlands Campus.

Mackus: "We want to maintain and further strengthen Limburg's leading position in the field of agrofood: modern, sustainable and circular. This can be done by linking our knowledge of agriculture and horticulture to expertise in the field of technology, logistics, healthy food, ingredients and ICT. This will result in smart cultivation techniques and systems, optimally refined seeds, etc. with which we can help the world to obtain healthy and sustainably produced food. With Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo as the beating heart, where knowledge and innovations in agriculture and horticulture come together."

Circular and stronger in the market chain

Through line two 'circular production' the province wants to support entrepreneurs in the transition to a circular agriculture where it is all about circularity, emission reduction, climate and energy awareness. With line three, 'Stronger in the market chain', the province wants to stimulate that sustainably produced products also get a real price and that the profit is then fairly distributed in the chain. Mackus: "The weak market position of the primary sector is otherwise an obstacle to the further development and sustainability of the agrifood sector. With this line we want to support projects that support such cooperation in the chain and thus strengthen the position of the sustainable primary sector."

Connecting across borders

Taking up new tasks requires new forms of cooperation, to connect with new partners. This is what the province wants to support with line four 'connecting across borders'. "The transition in agrifood is more than a technical exercise. It also involves a different way of working together, with an open attitude, also with foreign partners. It is precisely through cooperation that the most beautiful innovations emerge. You learn from each other and can take bigger steps together."

Investment

With a total investment of 20 million euros, the province wants to generate a financial impact of at least 80 million euros through this policy framework. "A strong agrifood sector is essential for prosperity and well-being in Limburg. In addition to the euros from the province, entrepreneurs naturally invest themselves. There are also a number of national programs that we, as a province, can make use of. But ultimately it is the entrepreneurs, researchers, students, companies, policy makers etc. who have to do it. We as a province support where possible. Sometimes financially, but certainly also by supporting cooperation, stimulating knowledge development and offering space in legislation and regulations."

Follow-up

The policy framework will now go "on tour" through the province. "After the adoption of the policy framework we will start working on the implementation agenda. Immediately after the summer we will come up with the concrete implementation plans," Mackus said.

Source: Brightlands