The Global Alliance of Horticulture Regions is now a reality!
After a 1.5 years establishment process with involvement of all kinds of local, regional, national, and international stakeholders, the launch of the Global Alliance of Horticulture Regions took place on Monday 8 June 2026 in the World Horti Center in the Dutch Municipality of Westland. During the seminar, the Governor of Kochi (a horticultural region in Japan) signed the first Certificate of Membership, and the brand-new website www.globalhorticulture.org was launched. All of this took place under the watchful eye of a large number of international delegations and diplomats. The first partners include Holambra (Brazil), Lincoln (Canada), Angers (France), Aomori and Kochi (Japan), Colón and Morelia (Mexico), Venlo and Westland (the Netherlands), and Sangju (South Korea). Dozens of other regions around the world have expressed an interest in joining in the coming period.
It has been a privilege to manage the establishment process, and I’m grateful for the fruitful collaboration with many regional governments, local authorities, diplomatic missions, knowledge institutes, well-established companies, think tanks, start-ups and scale-ups, as well as ministries, international organisations and direct colleagues, throughout the entire journey.
The Municipality of Westland, as the largest concentration of glass greenhouses in the world, continuously aims to intensify strategic networking with similar regions and related stakeholders around the globe. In recent years, Westland signed numerous MoU’s and established fruitful cooperation in Europe and Asia. However, until recently, all these partnerships were just one-on-one. The establishment of the Global Alliance of Horticulture Regions is beneficial with a much more multilateral approach.
Given the current geopolitical situation, it cannot be ruled out that access to safe and healthy food for parts of the world will be at risk. The availability of scarce raw materials and the effect of climate change play a large role, as well. Access to food is also increasingly weaponized. On top of that, the world population is growing rapidly. It is expected that in 2050, the population has grown to roughly 10 billion people. Mainly living in large cities. This urges the need for more healthy and sustainable food production on a local level. Horticulture is one of the keys to worldwide food security. And that is exactly where the strength in future cooperation lies.
Focus areas of the Global Alliance of Horticulture Regions
Enhancing the Triple Helix
Stimulating close cooperation between governments, companies and academics
Exchanging Best Practices
Food for Thought @ an online platform, as well as in-person during all kinds of events
Increasing Business Opportunities
Accommodating win-win solutions for all partners involved - potentially in partnership with (private equity / family) investors
Ensuring Food Security
Creating local sustainable food systems by Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA)
Practicing Food Diplomacy
Obtaining observer status at certain bodies of the United Nations & other relevant international organizations
Feeding the Future Together
Applying food technology & smart innovations in robotics and Artificial Intelligence
As part of the establishment process, many kinds of meetings, brainstorms, online information sessions, trade fairs, seminars and network events were attended or organized. From the Grüne Woche in the Messe Berlin, to the annual Dutch Ambassadors Conference in The Hague’s City Hall. From participating in numerous missions of Dutch Greenhouse Delta abroad, to welcoming many foreign delegations in the World Horti Center. Or The Future of Agriculture International Summit in Riyadh, as well as EXPO 2025 in Osaka, and GreenTech Americas in the Mexican State of Querétaro. Contributions like a keynote address from Dr. Raymond Wheeler, plant physiologist and emeritus senior scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, as well as the presentation of the wonderful design of the sculpture “Glass of Growth” by Westland’s artist Carly Zegers. From promising start-ups presenting their innovative solutions in the fields of organic crop protection, the CO₂ transition and AI-driven matchmaking in the international horticultural sector at GreenTech in Amsterdam, to presenting at the Latin America and Caribbean Business Dialogue in The Hague, just recently. And from organizing interesting company visits for the diplomatic community in collaboration with Diplomat Magazine, to facilitating an engaging panel discussion with stakeholders from France, Mauritius and New Zealand. Or from launching our establishment website last year on UN World Food Day, to commencing a great partnership with HortINspire, as initiative of Wageningen University & Research.
Last week, we provided the first monthly webinar for our members, and at the end of July our first monthly newsletter will appear. Over the coming period, the member regions will work together to further develop the association, including a multi-year strategy, creating matchmaking opportunities, and outline an international programme of public affairs activities, as well as working towards the first Annual General Meeting in the Municipality of Colón in Mexico in March 2027, straight after the GreenTech Americas in neighboring Querétaro.
I'm looking forward to continuing working together with all kinds of different stakeholders, and like to invite all horticultural regions around the world to join this aspiring network in order to achieve our common goals.
Happy growing!
