A delegation from the Municipality of Westland and Greenport West-Holland recently visited Almería, Spain, for a working trip aimed at boosting international cooperation in greenhouse horticulture. The visit was all about strengthening connections with partners in southern Spain and exploring new opportunities for collaboration. The delegation also attended the GreenSys Conference, the annual global event organized by the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS).
There were two main reasons for the trip. First, the Municipality of Westland and the Municipality of El Ejido have an existing Letter of Intent, in which both parties expressed their desire to work more closely together. Secondly, Greenport West-Holland is actively looking to grow its international network of horticultural clusters. In particular, the team is interested in forming a long-term partnership with a horticultural cluster from the Almería region, one of Europe's most prominent and productive horticultural hubs.
Visit to El Ejido
On the first day of the trip, the delegation visited El Ejido, where they met with Manuel Martinez Molina, the local councillor for Economy and Agriculture, and policy officer Rafael Almohalla. The conversation highlighted the many similarities between Westland and El Ejido, both are leading horticultural regions with strong collaboration between local governments, growers, and suppliers.
One of the most intriguing aspects for Greenport West-Holland was learning about Consejo, a local consultation model. This platform brings together representatives from growers, suppliers, the municipality, and research institutions, much like the cluster-based approach familiar in the Netherlands. The group also discussed key challenges and shared concerns, including water reuse and the ongoing complexities surrounding labor migration.
The delegation also had the chance to visit a local start-up hub, home to twenty innovative horticultural projects. Councillor Molina expressed great interest in visiting Greenport West-Holland in the future to draw inspiration for further developing El Ejido's own innovation center.
GreenSys conference and new networks
During the visit, the delegation actively took part in the GreenSys Conference. In addition to attending lectures and presentations, they also presented a poster about the RE-Greenhouse project, a sustainable initiative focused on circular greenhouse systems.
On the second day of the conference, the group met with Esteban Baeza from Coexphal, a key organization in the Almería region that is well-acquainted with the Dutch horticultural model. Discussions centered on Baeza's potential role as a bridge between growers, clusters, and governmental bodies in Almería, strengthening ties between the Dutch and Spanish sectors.
The delegation also visited Innovacal, a newly established horticultural supplier cluster located at the Tecnova research center in Almería. Innovacal has its sights set on joining the European Plant Inter Cluster (PIC) network and is actively looking to connect with international partners to foster innovation and collaboration across borders.
Source: Greenport West-Holland