As Indonesia strives toward food self-sufficiency and improved food quality, the Indonesian government has made sustainable horticulture development a national priority. To meet these goals, the nation is actively exploring innovative solutions and technology in the sector. At the same time, the Dutch government is developing a multi-year approach – known as combi-track – to support Indonesia’s transition to a more resilient, sustainable food system, with current focus on sustainable horticulture in North Sumatra Province and with potential to be scaled across the country.
Beeld: © JAK LVVN / Photo from the Green Education to Strengthen Human Capital magazine
These developments in national priority create opportunities for joint initiatives and strong partnerships to future-proof Indonesia’s food systems and by investing in knowledge exchange, capacity building, and empowering the future generation of agri-food professionals.
"Before investing in business, people should think on how they invest in human capital because the sustainability starts with people, then follows with benefits and profit. I get inspired by the Dutch motto in education: today's knowledge is tomorrow business," as mentioned by Arsiya Isrina Wenty Octisdah, Country Representative at Agriterra Indonesia.
A broader vision for economic cooperation: knowledge as a strategic export product
The recent Dutch economic mission to Indonesia, held from 16–19 June, embodied this spirit of collaboration. While economic missions typically center on trade and market access, organizations working on knowledge exchange and capacity building were well-represented among the delegation with Nuffic Southeast Asia, the NL Knowledge House, Wageningen University, Agriterra and HollandDoor as examples. It highlights the fundamental role of a knowledge infrastructure in facilitating the systemic transition towards sustainable food systems.
As one of the mission participants, the NL Knowledge House (NL KH) is the home of Dutch knowledge abroad – where collaboration in education sparks innovation and results in strong international partnerships. NL KH is coordinated by Nuffic Southeast Asia. “It cultivates impactful partnerships between knowledge institutions and the private sector. By positioning the Netherlands as a trusted knowledge partner and knowledge as a strategic export product, it demonstrates how education-driven collaboration can unlock innovation, trade, and investment opportunities,” explained by Nanya Burki, Director of Nuffic Southeast Asia
Living Lab Sustainable Food Systems: an innovative playground for students from Indonesia and the Netherlands to co-create sustainable solutions for business cases
Acknowledging Indonesia’s food security priority and leveraging Dutch expertise on agricultural development and food system, the NL KH is committed to building the knowledge infrastructure needed for Indonesia’s systematic food system transformation by means of a Living Lab: a student-centric research project based on real-world case studies delivered by the private sector. The Living Lab fosters collaboration between academia, industry, government and civil society on topics including but not limited to smart-farming technologies, water management solutions, seed development and nature-based/circular agriculture practices. Sustainable interventions brought forward by students may become a starting point for innovation and investment.
Beeld: © JAK LVVN / Launch of the Expression of Interest for the Living Lab on Sustainable Food Systems during the economic mission, 17th June
Empowering youth to contribute to sustainable food systems by connecting them with the private sector
A Living Lab focused on sustainable horticulture development complements the broader Empower Youth4Food (EY4F) campaign that was inaugurated in 2021 by Carola Schouten, former Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, and Prof. Dr. Dedi Nursyamsi, DG Agency for Agricultural Extension and Human Resources Development of the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture.
The EY4F campaign aims to contribute to encourage youth in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, to become more involved in shaping sustainable food systems. The campaign has currently more than 20 impact partners, a diverse mix of agri businesses, knowledge institutions, governmental institutions, alumni associations and youth networks across Southeast Asia.
By means of four building blocks – events, success stories, Changemaker Challenge, and navigating career paths – the campaign aims to inspire and empower the young generation in Southeast Asia to shape a future for food production based on principles of innovation and sustainability. This involves broadening the focus to include various fields of study contributing to strengthen human resources through the entire agricultural value chain, such as food economics, marketing, post-harvest techniques, food technology, and innovative breeding practices strengthening human resources through the entire agriculture value chain. “Agriculture should be understood from multiple approaches, including economic, politics, social and especially to which highly considering the welfare of farmers, farm laborers and engaging many more young generations to work and developing the agricultural sector,” said by Nofalia Nurfitriani, Policy Advisor on Agriculture and Food at Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Indonesia.
While the Living Lab offers a hands-on environment for the young generation to be actively involved in shaping the future of horticulture practices, experiences and results from the Living Lab can feed into EY4F’s communication campaigns – showcasing youth(-inclusive) innovations that may inspire peers.
Beeld: © JAK LVVN / Empower Youth4Food youth ambassadors together with industry partners in Vietnam
Two Training Opportunities Launched to Strengthen Sustainable Food Systems in Indonesia
As part of the Combi-Track Programme - managed by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), in collaboration with the Dutch Embassy in Indonesia and supported by Nuffic - Dutch and Indonesian organisations have been invited to express their interest in delivering one or two impactful Tailor-Made Training (TMT) programmes. These trainings aim to contribute to Indonesia’s national priorities in food security and agricultural self-sufficiency through targeted capacity building.
One TMT focuses on building the capacity of the newly established Management Authority Body, to support the development of the Masterplan for North Sumatra. The second TMT is designed to empower the next generation of farmers and agricultural leaders, equipping them with the skills to build a future-proof horticulture sector in Indonesia. Both training opportunities have been published on TenderNed, the Dutch government’s tendering platform.
A foundation for future collaboration
With the Dutch economic mission to Indonesia resulting in many new partnerships and the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) by the ministers of agriculture of Indonesia and the Netherlands, Nuffic Southeast Asia and the NL Knowledge House Indonesia are excited to continue and strengthen their efforts in supporting this bilateral collaboration between the Netherlands and Indonesia though research and knowledge exchange.
Is your company you active in Indonesia’s agri-food sector and interested in shaping the future of horticulture in collaboration with talented youth?
Get involved by submitting a business case for the Living Lab or join the Empower Youth4Food campaign as an impact partner. Together, we can build a future-ready food system through innovation, education, and collaboration!