The Plant Empowerment Foundation celebrated its 5th anniversary on April 19 at the PLSTK café in Hoek van Holland, the Netherlands, during Empowerment Day 2024. This annual event serves as a gathering for partners and members of the foundation to unite in their mission, deepen their knowledge, and connect. This year, the focus was on addressing the challenges facing horticulture and exploring how Plant Empowerment can continue to make a difference in the industry over the next five years and beyond. It was a day of knowledge-sharing, networking, and celebration.
The Plant Empowerment Foundation is dedicated to helping growers worldwide in applying the philosophy of Plant Empowerment to grow more sustainable and profitable. With the successful adoption of this philosophy by growers worldwide, the foundation has reached its fifth anniversary, a milestone celebrated during the annual Empowerment Day.
The day started with a reflection and looking ahead by Peter Hendriks. Reflecting on the achievements of the past five years, but more importantly, looking ahead to the future, particularly to the challenges horticulture is facing. By 2040, the industry aims to be fossil-free, achieve 100% green status by 2030, and zero discharge by 2027, goals set by the Dutch government to which Plant Empowerment aims to contribute significantly. These themes were the central point during the discussions on the Empowerment Day.
Following Peter Hendriks, Hidde Boersma, an ecomodernist and creator of the film "Paved Paradise," delivered an inspiring talk on ecomodernism and how horticulture can contribute to a sustainable future. The afternoon session featured an interview with Carlos Pinzon, head grower at Tomeco and practitioner of Plant Empowerment. Additionally, breakout sessions focusing on the three central themes were held during the afternoon. During these sessions, the group delved into the upcoming regulations and brainstormed how Plant Empowerment can further assist growers. Notable speakers at these sessions included Robert Solleveld and Guus Meis from Glastuinbouw Nederland.
In addition, the Plant Empowerment Foundation is proud to announce that, in line with its commitment to environmental stewardship, it has adopted 500 m2 of rainforest through the Adopt Rainforest Foundation.
For more information:
Plant Empowerment
www.plantempowerment.com