After three years of planning, the Dutch-Indian collaboration moves into implementation stage
Dutch horticultural cluster HortiRoad2India will return to India from 27 October to 2 November for a mission that marks the start of the latest phase in the collaboration between Dutch and Indian partners.
After three years of joint research, design, and pilot projects, the partnership’s work on building sustainable and high-quality food systems is now entering the implementation stage.
India’s rapidly growing economy and middle-class are creating enormous opportunities in the field of food production. Demand for safe, high-quality fruits and vegetables is rising fast, while the country is also facing challenges related to water use, climate change, and urbanisation.
In this context, the HortiRoad2India partnership, which unites the Dutch government, knowledge institutions, and leading horticultural companies, has spent the past three years developing a practical model for high-tech, sustainable cultivation tailored to India’s conditions and ambitions.
“The Netherlands has cracked the code for large, profitable, and sustainable cultivation of fresh fruits and vegetables in controlled environments and captured it in a process and blueprint for success,” said Desh Ramnath, coordinator of HortiRoad2India and director India at Dutch Greenhouse Delta.
“Together with Indian investors, retailers, and financiers, we are now bringing this blueprint to India, to grow crops that are healthier, safer, and more sustainable than ever before, while helping retailers meet rising demand for clean, pesticide-free food.”
Dutch and Indian partners have co-created a comprehensive and integrated approach to sustainable food production that combines Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) technologies with the ecosystem needed to make them work in practice: education and training, access to finance and insurance, and strong links with local retailers and investors.
“The result is a full-service concept that supports farmers, enables retailers to source consistent, high-quality produce, and provides consumers with safe and nutritious fruits and vegetables,” HortiRoad2India said.
During the upcoming mission, HortiRoad2India will host sessions with partners in New Delhi and Bangalore, where one of the key milestones will be presenting the new blueprint for a new high-tech greenhouse in India. The programme will then continue to Punjab, where the focus lies on new regional contacts, deepening partnerships, and preparing for the next phase of implementation.
“By combining Dutch expertise with local knowledge, we’re creating solutions that are both commercially viable and socially impactful,” said Tiffany Meijer, coordinator of HortiRoad2India and international trade manager at InnovationQuarter. “This collaboration contributes directly to food security, climate resilience, and healthier diets for India’s growing population.”
By the end of 2026, the first fully operational high-tech greenhouse in India is expected to start production. It will produce high-value crops that are pesticide-free, sustainable and available year-round. According to HortiRoad2India, the technologies used are already proven, and designed to reduce the use of water, fertilisers, and energy while improving yields and shelf-life.
