Circular Agricultural Challenge in Romania - Awarding Ceremony
Awarding Ceremony of the Circular Agricultural Challenge
Date: 22 July 2020 Bucharest Romania
Summary
During the Indagra agri-food fair of last year, a competition on circular agriculture amongst Romanian students was launched with the aim to present proposals for projects. The selection commission consisted of high level professionals from Romanian and Dutch organizations active in the field of circular agriculture/economy. Project ideas were received from universities all over Romania.
On the 22 of July the winner of the competition was announced in a Corona-proof Awarding Ceremony. Due to restrictions on indoor activities (max 20 persons) and outdoor activities (max 50 persons), a limited number of persons could join the corona-proof ceremony. The ceremony was held in a semi-open parking lot of the main sponsor Mega Image, a Romanian retail chain owned by Ahold-Delhaize. Part of the programme were video statements of both representatives of LNV and the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture, as well as the Sustainable Development Department of the Romanian Government.
A unique prize of 20,000 RON (over 4000 EURO) was awarded to the winning project: Circular Agriculture in my University - A.C.U.M., developed by students of agricultural economics from A.S.E. Bucharest and awarded by the Honorary President of the selection commission H.E. Roelof van Ees, Ambassador of The Netherlands in Romania together with the main partner of the initiative, Mega Image Vice-President Adrian Nicolaescu.
Background
Last year the Romanian ministry of agriculture headed a Romanian delegation to the Netherlands with representatives of Romanian agri educational institutes and the ministry itself. Purpose of the visit was to introduce Romania into the Dutch knowledge sector and seeking possibilities for cooperation. The ultimate result of the meeting was a signed partnership document between the two agricultural ministries in The Hague and Bucharest in which it was agreed to work together in developing the agro educational institutes in Romania, with a focus on dual learning and vocational training. And also to seek for win-win situations in circular agriculture development in both countries. To follow this up, several activities are scheduled in 2020 with the aim to position the Netherlands in Romania as an experienced partner in development of education and to work on mutual circular agriculture initiatives.
The Netherlands and Romania go Circular
The Netherlands is very competitive in agri-food but not yet circular. Romania is rather circular (in small scale agribusiness) but not yet very competitive. Both countries are facing similar challenges on the global market, leading to efforts for identification of alternative models to ensure the sustainable future of farming and food production.
Circular Agriculture Challenge (the competition)
The Circular Agriculture Challenge aimed to encourage and support creative project ideas for circular economy projects in the agri-food sector contributing to bilateral cooperation and knowledge sharing.
Therefore the competition needed to identify bold, promising ideas with potential to speed up the transition towards circular agri-food and to stimulate bilateral partnership for concrete actions towards building a future for farming and food production on a sustainable planet.
This was the difficult task of the selection commission which consisted of seven members from: the NL Ministry of Agriculture (LNV), the RO Ministry of Agriculture (MADR), the RO Government Department for Sustainable Development, Zone college (NL), ING Romania, RVO/Holland Circular Hotspot (NL), and the RO Coalition for Circular Economy.
