Visit of the SER Delegation to the World Food Center in Ede

Today, a delegation from the SER (Social and Economic Council) of the Dutch government visited the World Food Center in Ede. The SER is an advisory body consisting of representatives from the government, academics, and labor unions.

Purpose of the Visit

The delegation has been tasked by various Dutch ministries to explore and map out the opportunities for “GREEN-BLUE Employment” in the Netherlands. Green-blue employment refers to jobs that contribute to sustainable development, such as environmentally friendly technologies and sustainable agricultural and fisheries practices.

Focus on Innovation and Employment

The goal of the visit was to understand the obstacles and challenges faced by start-ups in growing and creating new green-blue jobs through innovations. Hence, a visit to Food Valley and the World Food Center in Ede was on their agenda.

Program at the World Food Center

During the program, organized by FoodX, GOA-Ventures and three other companies, as well as start-ups and local training centers, presented their experiences in creating new jobs for graduates. The delegation gained insights into how these organizations contribute to employment and their future plans.

Discussion and Questions

GOA-Ventures matched perfectly with the SER’s investigation into green-blue employment. This led to productive conversations and detailed questions about the origin of GOA’s technology, the number of jobs it could create, and most importantly: “What are the obstacles for GOA? What is needed to grow faster?”

Although these questions require much more time and attention, the SER participants indicated that the answers provided by GOA gave them a good picture. GOA is, of course, open to further detailed interaction and knowledge sharing.