Koppert gives presentation at opening of Agadir Horticultural Complex

The Dutch government has invested in greenhouses at the new Agadir Horticultural Complex (CHA) for educational purposes and demonstration of Dutch horticultural solutions. Koppert gave a presentation following the official opening in Agadir, Morocco, recently. Leaders of academia, hands-on experts, business owners, and top managers from across the Middle East, North Africa region and Europe participated during the opening event.

Among other dignitaries, the opening was attended by the Moroccan Minister of Agriculture and the Dutch Ambassador to Morocco, who was accompanied by an RVO delegation from the Netherlands. During the ceremony, Koppert's supervisory board member, Henri Oosthoek, spoke about the importance of strategic alliances creating a consortium for agricultural research, development, and innovation.

"Koppert will become more involved and focus on opportunities through the connections and networks it has built-in Morocco, not only in greenhouse horticulture but also fruit orchards and open-field crops," said Oosthoek. "Through this complex, we are now well connected and positioned within the sector."

Partner in research and development
The new center will promote relationships between agricultural technology leaders, experts, and organizations to support Moroccan growers' needs and future ambitions, opportunities, and challenges.

A cooperation has been started under the Impact Cluster, supported by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, together with other Dutch companies and institutes such as Hoogendoorn Growth Management, WUR, TU Delft, Hort-tech, Seed2Seed, Hoogendoorn, HarvestHouse, Jiffy, HortiXS, Rijk Zwaan, to mention but a few. Koppert will be part of the Impact Cluster and a key partner of the research and development group being set up with leading companies such as Drisscoll's, Duroc, Netafim, and Harvest House, among others.

"For this research cooperation, we have been positioned as key-partner and have signed an MoU agreement in Agadir," Oosthoek concludes. "The Director of the Agadir Horticultural Complex, Prof Farid Lekjaa, expressed his interest in Koppert's participation and the support it can give to Moroccan development strategies in agriculture and horticulture."