Food for Thought

If any country is being hit hard by the climate crisis, it is the US. Droughts, floods, forest fires and hurricanes are increasingly causing crop failures. New high-tech ways of growing vegetables are being tried out here. Can technology turn the tide? The United States produces and exports the most meat in the world. Americans eat an average of about 120 pounds of meat per person per year. For comparison: in the Netherlands that is 38 kilos. The United States is looking hard for solutions to provide its population with food in the future.

How will the People's Republic provide food for its 1.4 billion inhabitants in the near future? China is at the forefront of agricultural research and development, such as artificial intelligence, but also seed breeding to create crops that are more resistant to drought, salt and pests. Automation can be seen everywhere, from robot cars in delivery and picking robots and agricultural drones to fully automatic cranes in the impressive ports. In addition to these high-tech developments, China also relies on traditional Shouguang agriculture.

A lot of food arrives from Kenya every day: green beans, pak choi, sugar snap peas, basil, mangoes and cauliflower. Many of these products are grown specifically for export. Why are so many vegetables imported from Kenya that can be grown in the Netherlands? The stable climate and extremely low wages (about 2 to 3 dollars per day) make Kenya the vegetable garden of Europe. The Dutch consumer is spoiled with fruit and vegetables that are available all year round.

How do the United Arab Emirates and neighboring Saudi Arabia try to become self-sufficient with a shortage of fresh water and a lack of fertile agricultural land? Mega greenhouses, dairies and poultry factories are located in the middle of the desert, where water is scarce. Saudi Arabia not only wants to be self-sufficient, but also to become the largest exporter of agricultural products in the region. Water-saving solutions, such as closed greenhouse systems and innovative irrigation, make it possible to produce more and more food locally. These latest techniques, professionals and knowledge are purchased abroad. Much of this knowledge comes from the Netherlands.