In 2018 HollandDoor started a three-year project in India in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Vegetables in Baramati (see Launch protected cultivation vegetable project). The main objective is to increase awareness (existence), understanding (knowledge) and finally acceptance (investment willingness) of greenhouse farmers and other value chain stakeholders to catalyse sector developments. This three-year programme is funded by the Dutch government through the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
On 3–5 July 2019, the fifth training since the start-up in October 2018 was organized. During this training, the focus has shifted from tailored training of participants to training module development by participants on various themes connected with greenhouse vegetable cultivation and value chain development. Based on the needs of the participants, these trainings are developed and implemented by Dutch experts in combination with inspiring and illustrating field visits to further deepen the already vast knowledge and experience of the trainees. Four modules are developed to cover a wide range of greenhouse cultivation and four modules are developed to cover value chain topics.
To create awareness among Indian farmers about the developments in greenhouse cultivation and value chain training modules, in the coming periods one-day roadshow seminars will be organized. During this seminar, the eight module development teams will pitch their modules to farmers and other stakeholders, inviting them to sign up for full trainings starting in 2020 and implemented by the trainee group which received the five intensive trainings from October 2018 till July 2019 as reported above.
The first one-day roadshow seminar took place on Friday 18 October in Narayangaon, a city surrounded by about 50,000 ha. of tomato cultivation. The next day, the roadshow was repeated, this time with a one-day seminar in Baramati.
In the coming months, the trainees will continue their work on development and implementation of the eight training modules, which will target greenhouse vegetable farmers and other stakeholders of primarily the state of Maharashtra.
See for more information here, here and here or contact Niek Botden or Engelie Beenen.
