Managing Director Henk Bles sets forth his views about the future of Bles Dairies. In this article his vision on creating a Green Revolution.
Today’s main topics in agriculture are about climate control and how to feed the world’s growing population in a sustainable way.
As a result perhaps even more significant is the increasing migration. How can this happen?
In most African countries the population is growing each year with 2.5% to 3%. Can we believe that in about 35 years the population in those countries will double?
We know there is a relationship between the number of children per household and welfare. The lesser the prosperity the more children per household. When the growing population has no faith in building up their future in their own country the result is that migration grows exponentially. This can pose a huge threat. The question here is how to control this growth and at the same time how to provide them with a future.
Economical growth starts with the development of agricultural production. When governments give more priority to local production, this stimulates economical growth. It is an issue that EU and Africa sign Economical Partnership Agreements (EPAs) in order to arrange Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). Think of the fact that EU subsidizes their own farmers resulting in the export of cheap food products to Africa. At the same time, due to EPAs, Africa cannot benefit from the financial instruments of import duties to stimulate their own economy. As a result, growth rates and thus migration tend to increase. In this respect the EU should be aware of this and should change the strategy how to stimulate African local production. This would lead to a fairer balance between the import prices of food and the costs of local production.
In my opinion the government of The Netherlands could be an example to initiate the discussion in the EU to change the purpose of EPAs. Support prioritizing basic materials like seeds and genetics instead of export of subsidized food products, create a better infrastructure and stimulate modern technologies, innovations and knowhow. We can bring Africa added value and teach them how to secure and how to produce safe and healthy food. Create a green revolution.
These new technologies and innovations add value to the necessary revolution in agriculture. The Netherlands is ahead in these modern developments in innovations and has an important role worldwide. Bles Dairies actively involves in these developments. Bles Dairies is ready to contribute to this Green Revolution. Bles Dairies is ready for the Future.
Click here for more information about the High-Level Forum Africa-Europe, which took place on December 18, 2018 in Vienna.