How education at all levels contribute to shaping sustainable agriculture in the Netherlands and lessons for Vietnam
The Netherlands is one of the largest exporters of agricultural products and technology, and is also well-known for its green sector. Despite its leadership in agriculture and green industries, the country still faces issues related to climate change, pollution and the loss of biodiversity. To address these issues, the Dutch government has long considered sustainable agriculture production to be very important as it is essential to feed the population and contribute to food security worldwide. Meanwhile, sustainable agricultural production requires a seamless integration of knowledge, innovation, and practical practices throughout the entire system. The Dutch education structure, with its various levels, helps ensure this.
All levels contribute
“In The Netherlands there is a research university called Wageningen University & Research, which is very famous in the world of agriculture. There are also universities of applied sciences and the TVET colleges – vocational education schools – that are really important because they are the link to practice, ” Ms. Sabrina Waltmans – Senior Policy Advisor of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN), Department of Strategy, Knowledge and Innovation – explained during her trip to Vietnam within the framework of the combi-track program in November 2024.
Ms. Waltmans went on to explain the role of each level, with Wageningen University & Research as a research university focusing on developing new technology and innovation, where students play an important role as they are involved in research. Then, universities of applied sciences – which are higher education institutions – offer bachelor's and master's programs with a more practical approach. At those universities, students use the knowledge to practically develop a product, a prototype, or a service that can simplify the work of the farmer or the company. And the TVET (Technical Vocational Education and Training) colleges focus on implementing technology in the company or on the farm, testing whether the machine works on the farm, operating the machine, and managing technical equipment.
“It's really a chain from the first thought until the implementation at the farm level,” Ms. Sabrina said. “Research universities do the technological development of knowledge while TVET schools focus on good craftsmanship, so the employees of companies know how to manage the equipment, how to see if everything's going right, or find solutions if there's a problem. And that's very important.” “Each part has something to contribute,” she confirmed.
Cooperation is key
The green sector in the Netherlands is built on a well-established green knowledge and innovation system, which includes green educational institutes. According to Ms. Sabrina Waltmans, the ministry of LVVN, the Department of Strategy, Knowledge and Innovation maintains a close relationship with the green education institutes in the Netherlands. “In Groenpact, a network organisation, the green education institutes, the private sector and the government are connected and work together. The ministry of LVVN is a member. The goals of this cooperation are to have an impact on societal and economic challenges, to bring enough qualified workforce and labour to the labour market, and to promote practical innovations. Groenpact also stimulates international cooperation because it's important for the countries that we work with and also our students and researchers learn from international cooperation,” she expressed.
Launched in 2016, the Groenpact cooperation was created as Dutch green education institutes, the business community, and civil society organizations joined forces with the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the Netherlands. Groenpact states that its main objective is “to strengthen and renew the Dutch knowledge and innovation system, to be able to make a meaningful contribution to solve major challenges at national and global levels, and to strengthen the sustainable competitiveness of the Dutch green sector.” Efforts have been made “to expand the knowledge and innovation structure, linking education and business even more closely.” The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality contributes about €4.2 million Euros to the program annually.
During a business forum on sustainable aquaculture in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta held in Can Tho City in late 2024, Ms. Sabrina Waltmans also shed light on how applied research is being utilized in the Netherlands. Practice-oriented or applied research plays a very important role, as it links the knowledge that is already existing to practice in the business environment, she explained. “There are research projects where our universities for applied sciences are involved, so that is the higher education sector directly working together with the private sector to find practical solutions for the problems and challenges that they have,” she said.
Everybody involved in such a project benefits, Ms. Waltmans stated. “The students learn skills that are useful in industry; the researchers can use the results from the research for further research; companies become more innovative and their capacities improve; and teachers also use what they saw in the research in the curriculum,” she explained.
“Much of the research has a regional basis, but also internationally the knowledge institutes work together with partners abroad because they have a lot of knowledge already in agriculture in the Netherlands, but can also learn from and co-create with other countries who face the same challenges. And that's how global competitiveness improves,” she provided an international perspective.
Young people matter
Ms. Sabrina Waltmans also addressed an issue that the agriculture sector in both the Netherlands and Vietnam is facing: Young people no longer want to work in agriculture. Many perceive it is ‘dirty’ to work on the farm and the job requires so much hard work while producing little money. “This image is changing, but it takes time,” Ms. Waltmans believed. “In the past, university was often considered the best option. The awareness on the role practical education and practical research play in the agricultural sector is growing. And also, some people are better at theoretical approaches and others are better at practical fields. We need everybody in that sense.”
According to her, TVET schools and universities play an important role in helping demonstrate that with the new techniques, agriculture can be very attractive. “In agriculture one can earn a good income. There is digitalization and you don't need to work an old-fashioned way,” she explained. She also mentioned region-oriented schools which are based in a province and work together with local farmers and companies. By that exchange and using new techniques and new ways of working, they try to convince the youth to think about agriculture.
“When I was in school and had to choose what I wanted to study, the I considered agriculture not an option,” Ms. Waltmans recalled her personal experience. “But now, I visit the schools and universities and think if I could make that choice again, it would be really interesting to think about agriculture. Because I see the amazing things they are doing, like developing new varieties, new techniques for example to use less water because water shortage in the Netherlands becomes also a problem. It's really interesting!”
For more information, please go to: GroenPact or Green Education in NL.
Contact
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