Image courtesy of V8 architects
Along with top Dutch companies in the field of innovation and technology, Koppert Biological Systems has signed up as a sponsor of ‘The Netherlands Pavilion’ at the international Expo 2020 Dubai.
‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ is the expo’s theme this year and with the Netherlands participation of ‘Uniting Water, Energy & Food Koppert will be present to demonstrate how it contributes towards 100% sustainable agriculture and horticulture, promotes biodiversity and enhances food safety.
Koppert joins the sustainable high-tech Netherlands Pavilion platform of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. The long-awaited Expo 2020 Dubai, that starts on 1 October and runs for 6 months, is expected to attract millions of visitors from around the world. One of the world’s oldest and biggest world fairs, first held in London in 1851, will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates. It aims to inspire sustainable transformation by showcasing the latest cutting-edge technology and innovation.
‘Koppert’s participation reflects its commitment to sustainable agriculture and horticulture and we hope to inform and inspire visitors, and foster partnerships that will benefit sustainable food production, biodiversity, as well as the health of the planet and its people,’ says Koppert’s Export Manager for the Middle East, North Africa and India, Yassin Lahiani.
‘The Gulf region itself is undergoing unprecedented development in sustainable cultivation, much of it promoted and supported by the government that seeks to improve health and nutrition,’ Lahiani explains. ‘The pandemic has demonstrated the importance of being self-sufficient and not relying on imports.’ Koppert has served growers in the Gulf region for more than 20 years. ‘The demand from consumers and retailers for food that is free of chemical residues in this region is high.’
Unique ‘living’ cone
The Netherlands Pavilion is a showcase of how Dutch companies unite water, energy and food and work together to create solutions to global problems. Created as a circular climate system – a biotope - with a 18-metre-high conical tower that dominates the central space and unites the elements of water, energy and plants, surmounted by glass solar cell skylights and acoustic walls.
‘The cone is made up of 63 rings of ornamental and vegetable plants, including herbs and tomatoes. Koppert provided the knowledge to control pests and diseases in the propagation material of the plants in a sustainable way’, Lahiani explains.
The long-running expo will host a number of themes that include Climate & Biodiversity, Health & Wellness, Food, Agriculture and Livelihoods, and Water, amongst many others. ‘Koppert will be present to illustrate our role in many of these important themes. There is also a great need to connect again and pick up our close relations with growers, dealers and decision makers’, Lahiani concludes.