text: Marjolein/ Heldergezegd
images: Bas van Dijk
Horticulture is an international branch of sport. It is therefore important that students gain the necessary experience abroad. Five fourth-year students of the Horticulture & Agribusiness course at Hogeschool InHolland, ‘Green Juniors’, went on a research trip in Morocco. Their assignment: explore the possibilities for InHolland to contribute to horticultural education at the University of IAV Hassan II in Agadir. With what wealth of opportunities did they return to Dutch soil?
Exploring
The journey of the Horticulture & Agribusiness students started on paper. ‘We delved into the literature and made an inventory: what does horticulture in Morocco look like? What’s going on?’ says Bas van Dijk. Together with a fellow student, he represents the Management and Greenport specialization in the project group. The other three graduate in Cultivation and Breeding. ‘I chose this project because I know that horticulture is becoming increasingly international.’ After the preparations in the Netherlands, it was time to explore Moroccan horticultural education in person.
Management skills
As chairman of the project group, Bas arranged appointments with students and teachers of the university and with a number of nurseries. They soon found out that lessons are given in French. Speaking English was a bit difficult. But we have been able to establish that there is a real lack of management skills. The government has recently imposed that 10 to 20% of the lessons must consist of management lessons. However, the teachers indicate that they themselves have never been taught this way. That’s why they don’t really know how to guide their students. They can grow great, but then don’t know how to reach a market. There are great opportunities here, also for employment.’
More sustainable cultivation
Sustainability is a concept that has many sides. Water consumption is an important one in Morocco. There is a lot of drought and the groundwater level is falling rapidly. Something that, by the way, was not known to the Moroccan students. ‘They are not concerned with the major climate problems and know little about them,’ says Bas. Greenhouse horticulture is also new. Greenhouses in Morocco need less heating, so they emit less CO2. A one-hectare glass greenhouse was installed on the campus of the Moroccan university last year, so that students can learn and experience how it works. “This was so special to them. A closed water system would drastically reduce water consumption. It is also necessary that they desalinate the seawater in a more sustainable way. Now they throw the extracted salt back into the sea, so it is getting saltier.’ Here, too, the students see opportunities to use Dutch knowledge and expertise in the field of sustainability.
Into practice
One of the highlights of the exploratory trip was of course visiting the Moroccan nurseries. Once they arrived, the doors only opened a crack, due to a prevailing tomato virus. ‘We did visit a biobased company that supplies biological pesticides, mainly in the form of bugs. That was very interesting. We also know from interviews that there is a need for training courses for staff.’ Dutch cultivation and Moroccan cultivation can complement each other nicely, because the seasons are exactly reversed. “In the winter it is expensive for us to produce tomatoes, while in Morocco it is much better than in their hot summers.”
Borderless Dutch education
Raymond Hedges, Horticulture & Agribusiness team leader at InHolland, is pleased with the project group’s exploration. “All roads in greenhouse horticulture lead to the Netherlands. If a country really wants to develop, they know how to find their way to knowledge institutions such as InHolland.’ Nevertheless, the success of the Netherlands cannot be copied one-to-one. ‘The system in the Netherlands is based on close collaboration between education, government, research and business. Our students conduct research, and the education is very well linked to the business world. They jump into practice, also during the training. This doesn’t happen in many countries.’ Raymond is constantly trying to bring the outside in and the inside out. This space will also be given to his teaching team.
Teachers’ turn
The opportunities are in sight. There is also an initial view of additional challenges such as language and culture. After the initial exploration and recommendations from the students, the baton goes to the teachers. To continue the research, they can also travel to Morocco with the help of the voucher. “It would be great if we could start sharing our knowledge with this great university,” says Raymond. ‘Organizing online meetings with students, guest lectures, developing courses, training people on site, training the trainers. If we can also involve and guide the growers, then we really have a very nice collaboration ahead of us.’
Moroccan students to the Netherlands
Bas knows that the Moroccan students are eager to come and see the high-tech Dutch horticulture. However, getting a visa is a challenge and the students have less to spend. “It really is a dream for them.”
Voucher program: a helping hand
The Internationalization Acceleration Program of Groenpact gives educational institutions a helping hand to conduct research abroad. Until the end of 2024, 20 vouchers worth € 15,000 can be obtained per school year. To qualify, applicants submit a project proposal. The voucher budget comes from subsidies from the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. This ministry is also involved in the assessment of the applications. Based on clear criteria, a selection of the most promising, meaningful projects remains. The amount allocated is intended for exploration and for making contacts.
InHolland submitted such an application, together with the [Centre for Sustainability/Learning Community Greenport Horti Campus]. They obtained a voucher for their exploration in Morocco. The assessors saw good opportunities, also for Moroccan employment and economic development.
