International
Greenhouse horticulture, also called protected horticulture, is an excellent method for producing high-quality food efficiently. For this reason, protected horticulture is one of the fastest-growing sectors in Asia and Africa.
The business unit Greenhouse Horticulture has an excellent reputation abroad and is familiar with local possibilities and challenges in covered cultivation in other regions. This makes us an attractive partner for parties in the Netherlands and abroad when it comes to investigating possibilities for establishing sustainable and competitive greenhouse horticulture businesses and marketing innovative technologies.
We engage in local research, adaptive greenhouse design, and capacity building; and we are constantly working to strengthen our reputation and our position abroad, in wealthy regions such as the Middle East as well as in developing regions such as in Africa and Asia.
General
“Whatever the local conditions may be, Wageningen University & Research can contribute to the sustainable intensification of agriculture anywhere in the world,” says Ernst van den Ende, general director of Wageningen Plant Research’? “Our starting point is improving existing systems rather than simply introducing the latest technologies. The latter requires extensive knowledge to work with. Based on the actual socio-economic and climatological conditions in places such as Indonesia and Africa, we develop viable and sustainable concepts that increase production.”
Europe
Horticulture makes a major positive contribution to modern European society in rural and urban areas, through sustainable food production, a greener environment and a healthier population. The total production value of horticultural crops in the EU for 2009 was over $100 billion.
Africa
Protected horticulture in Africa is concentrated in Northern Africa (e.g., Morocco, Algeria, Egypt), Eastern Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda), South Africa, and Western Africa (Ghana). The greenhouse sector in Northern Africa mainly produces (fruit) vegetables for the European market. Export flowers form the majority of greenhouse production in Eastern Africa.
Middle East
In the Middle East region the main issues related to agro production are horticulture water efficient production, self-sufficiency and food-safety. Protected Horticulture offers different technologies in this field like soilless culture combined with recirculation of drain water, alternative cooling methods and integrated pest management. Most projects in this region focus on these issues and the business unit Greenhouse Horticulture contributes to the design of demonstration and research facilities, the set-up research programmes and training of research and operational staff through capacity building.
Asia
Protected horticulture in Asia is growing rapidly. Especially in China and India but also in Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam the increase of the population demands for increasing vegetable production as in japan the policy focusses on reduced imports and a higher level of self-sufficiency. In Asia a wide diversity of climates occurs, sometimes even within a single country e.g. in China which requires complete different protected horticultural production systems. The business unit Greenhouse Horticulture is involved in many initiatives from large agro production parc developments, improvement of current greenhouses, cultivation systems and –practices, training and capacity building, and design of adapted greenhouses for tropical and arid conditions.
America
The business unit Greenhouse Horticulture is involved in many initiatives from large agro production parc developments, improvement of current greenhouses, cultivation systems and –practices, training and capacity building, and design of adapted greenhouses.
Oceania
The business unit Greenhouse Horticulture is involved in many initiatives from large agro production parc developments, improvement of current greenhouses, cultivation systems and –practices, training and capacity building, and design of adapted greenhouses.