Track record

The NABC has a long track record in sustainable trade and investment facilitation between the Netherlands and Africa. Below you can find a selection of events, trade missions, strategic programmes and consultancy assignments that we have completed in recent years.

Africa Works!

Africa Works! 2022: Innovation For Resilient Growth

June 28, 2022 – The Hague
NABC’s flagship conference Africa Works! took place for the fifth time on the 28th of June in Amare, The Hague. Within the overarching theme “Innovation for Resilient Growth”, Africa Works! 2022 – together with knowledge partner TNO – focused on innovative solutions for sustainable economic recovery including challenges linked to food, water, and energy in Africa. Potential strategies to meet these challenges were discussed among 250 participants from Europe and Africa, including 11 African ambassadors assigned to the Benelux, 7 top-notch investors to which 10 emerging entrepreneurs were pitching their business, 24 workshop partners from the Dutch and African private and public sector, 4 African delegations, 5 innovative exhibitors, and 4 strategic event partners. Africa Works! 2022 once again featured world-class speakers, high-quality workshops and interesting country-focus sessions, investment pitches, and networking. Click here for more info on Africa Works! 2022.

Africa Works! 2019: Future African Cities

April 8 & 9, 2019 – Rotterdam
Since its first edition in 2012, Africa Works! has grown into the largest Africa-focused Business Conference in the Benelux. The 2019 Africa Works! edition “Future African Cities” took place in April 2019 with Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb of Rotterdam delivering the opening speech. This highly successful edition welcomed 600 participants from the African and European private sector, governments, knowledge institutions and civil society. In addition, 11 African delegations and 16 African ambassadors in the Benelux attended the conference. In total, 24 thematic workshops, 4 country-focused workshops and 2 high-level Round Tables took place, and over 120 companies got connected during the 60+ B2B meetings. A total of 3 MoU´s were signed. The 2019 edition had a remarkably high attendance of financial institutions, private equity firms and impact investors.

Africa Works! 2016: Innovation in Finance

Nov 10 & 11, 2016 – Amsterdam
Africa Works! 2016 was the third edition of NABC’s flagship conference. The two-day conference formed a prominent B2B platform which focused on Africa’s growing economies, particularly in light of innovations developing in the financial sector. The 2016 theme was “Innovation in Finance”. Conference participants were informed about the positive potential that innovation in the financial sector can have on economic development in Africa. Africa Works! 2016 provided a platform to raise capital, boost transactions and support new policies for investment and private sector growth. The conference gathered 500 participants, hosted more than eight high-profile speakers and exhibited over 12 workshops to facilitate doing business in Africa.

Africa Works! 2014 - Creating new Partnerships

Oct 16 & 17, 2014 – Leiden
This second edition of the Africa Works! Africa Works! was officially opened by then minister for Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Lilianne Ploumen. The conference saw 500+ participants, who explored the challenges and opportunities Africa poses to companies, government bodies, NGO’s  and knowledge centers through informing, inspiring, and expanding professional networks. The focus was on knowledge and practical knowledge questions about the current situation and realities in African countries and what this implies for business, diplomacy, and partnerships when it comes to opportunities and constraints. Africa Works! 2014 served as a platform for new partnerships, while ensuring interaction between the above mentioned parties. A combination of scientific seminars and practical workshops throughout the day helped highlight important current themes in Africa.

Africa Works! 2012: 21st Century Trends

Oct 29 & 30, 2012 – Zeist
The very first edition of Africa Works! was graced by the attendance of Her Majesty Queen Maxima, who attended the round table on food security. The conference attracted over 700 participants and focused on the growth opportunities in African countries. During the two-day conference, the position of Africa in the world was discussed, as well as its challenges and opportunities for Dutch and African investors. Subjects like foods security, technological knowledge, political systems and youth employment were talked about during roundtables. The first edition of this conference was such a success that NABC decided to make it their flagship event and organise it every two years.

Annual Events

Annual New Year's Reception

Every January – Amsterdam
Each year, NABC members and the wider NABC network are invited to toast with the NABC team to the New Year at the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam. Traditionally hosted by our strategic partner Heineken, the New Year’s Reception serves as a tremendous platform for like-minded entrepreneurs, ambassadors and other representatives of the public sector to get the chance to network and share the latest insights about doing business in Africa. The reception also marks the occasion to officially distribute the very first copies of NABC’s annual magazine, to jointly recall the past business year and look ahead to upcoming activities and projects, while enjoying a drink or two. For a visual impression of the NABC’s New Year’s Reception 2023, please click here.

Annual Ambassadors' Dinner

Every Nov/Dec – The Randstad
The 11th edition of the NABC’s annual Ambassadors’ Dinner was held on the 16th of November 2023 at Kasteel de Wittenburg in Wassenaar, the Netherlands. With on average 25 to 30 African embassies attending each year, the Ambassadors’ Dinner is the occasion to be if you are looking for a networking dinner and one-to-one matchmaking sessions with African ambassadors accredited to the Benelux. During the reception, the NABC traditionally determines the winner of the ‘Doing Business in Africa’ (DBA) Award acknowledging business models that contribute to innovative, inclusive and sustainable development in Africa. For a visual impression of the NABC’s Ambassadors’ Dinner 2023, please click here.

Back to Business (B2B) Reception

Every September – The Hague
The NABC’s second Back to Business (B2B) Reception took place on 14 September 2023 at Malietoren in The Hague. Staying true to its objective, the B2B Reception reconnected both NABC members and the wider NABC business network after the summer break to re-enforce business connections, liaise with new business partners, and exchange entrepreneurial experience on Doing Business in Africa. The 2023 reception was joined by two former Doing Business in Africa (DBA) Award winners: Portside and Closing the Loop who presented their award-winning business models to the attendees, an economic delegation from Morocco’s Souss-Massa region that revealed investment potential in the region, and NABC members and business contacts eager to (re-)connect during the concluding networking reception. For a visual impression of the B2B Reception 2023, please click here.

Africa Business Club

Several times per year – The Hague
The NABC’s Africa Business Club (ABC) is a member-exclusive event series that brings together NABC member companies to discuss pressing issues and promising trends within a wide range of sectors, as well as cross-sectoral topics. In the past, Africa Business Clubs have convened to discuss and exchange effective market entry strategies, start-up and scale-up endeavours in Africa, business development approaches on the continent, and cyber security procedures for an intercontinental workforce, among others.

Trade and Investment Forums

Tanzania-Netherlands Trade and Investment Forum

14 November 2023 – The Hague
The NABC, in partnership with the Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania, hosted the Tanzania-Netherlands Trade and Investment Forum at the Marriott Hotel in The Hague. The event, attended by 200 participants from the Dutch and Tanzanian public and private sector, featured discussions on key sectors such as Renewable Energy, AgroProcessing, and Infrastructure. H.E. Mr. January Makamba, Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, inaugurated the forum, which included insights from 18 expert speakers. Emphasizing the importance of reliable partnerships and long-term commitment, the event showcased Tanzania’s market potential and promoted a collaborative spirit between the Netherlands and Tanzania for meaningful trade an investment partnerships. For a visual recap of the event, please click here. All photos were taken by Sabine van Nistelroij.

East-South Africa Agri Forum

6 – 7 June 2023 – Wageningen and Utrecht
The East-South Africa Agri Forum took place on 6 June 2023 at Omnia – Wageningen Campus. With a primary focus on sustainable agriculture, the Dutch Agricultural Counsellors at the Embassies of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ethiopia, Uganda (covering Rwanda), Kenya (covering Tanzania), and South Africa met with the Dutch private sector, knowledge institutions and NGOs to exchange and discuss latest developments, demand from the local private sector and governments, as well as future plans in potato , horticulture, agrologistics, dairy, and feed, among other areas during separate focus sessions. The East-South Africa Agri Forum was organised by the NABC in close collaboration with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), Oost NL, and the Netherlands Agricultural Network. As a notable component of the East-South Africa Agri Forum, Speaking Day on 7 June in Utrecht, offered companies from the Dutch private sector the chance to have individual talks with the Agricultural Counsellors to seek market insights, discuss potential collaborations, or discover investment prospects. A total of 40 one-on-one sessions took place between the Agricultural Counsellors and Dutch companies, 70% of which have led to ongoing follow-up conversations.

Netherlands-Mozambique Business and Investment Forum

16 May 2023 – The Hague
The Netherlands-Mozambique Business and Investment Forum aimed to bolster Mozambique’s industrialisation plans. Co-hosted by the Embassy of Mozambique in Brussels and the NABC, the event convened over thirty participants from the Dutch private sector and key Mozambican government figures, including Mr. Jorge Fernando Jairoce and H.E. Ms. Berta Celestino Cossa. Mr. Ties Minnen of AfriFruta shared business insights. Centered on economic partnerships, the forum facilitated dialogue and networking, focusing on collaboration opportunities in Mozambique’s agro-processing, energy, and infrastructure sectors. For a visual overview of the event, please click here.

Botswana Trade and Investment Promotion Conference

13 December 2022 – The Hague
The NABC, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Botswana in the Benelux, hosted a promotion conference on trade and investment at the World Trade Center in The Hague. With over 25 attendees, the event featured insights from high-level speakers representing the Embassy of Botswana, the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre, the Botswana Development Corporation, the Special Economic Zones Authority of Botswana, and Dutch seed company Syngenta. Focused on promoting sustainable trade and investment to the Southern African business hub, the conference garnered significant interest. The successful turnout underscored the value attributed by the NABC and the Embassy of Botswana to a subsequent trade mission to EU-Botswana Business Forum in Gaborone, that took place in November 2023 and strengthened business partnerships between the Netherlands and Botswana in the country’s agricultural sector. For a visual recap of the conference, please click here.

GrowCongo! Invest in Agriculture Forum

Feb 25, 2020 – Amsterdam
The Government of the Republic of Congo – joined by NABC, the World Bank and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) organised the first ever GrowCongo! Invest in Agriculture Forum’ on the 25th of February 2020 at the KIT Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam. GrowCongo! focused on providing valuable insights into the priorities and investment opportunities of the Republic of Congo’s agricultural sector. The event was opened by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Congo, H.E. Clément Mouamba, and joined by other prominent stakeholders including Minister of State and Agriculture, Mr. Henri Djombo. During GrowCongo!, participating parties agreed to invest more than 80 million euros into the agricultural sector. Moreover, the AFD and EUCORD showed interest and support for further developing agricultural value chains for products such as maize, barley, and cassava. Finally,  the Forum marked the beginning of talks for setting up an oil palm and soybean plantation in the Republic of Congo.

EU-Ethiopia Business Forum

May 14, 2019 – Brussels
In May 2019, the NABC organised the 2-day EU-Ethiopia Business Forum in Brussels, on behalf of the European Commission’s Delegation to Addis Ababa. This forum brought together roughly 150 companies from all over Europe and played a big role in promoting Ethiopia as a lucrative investment destination. The forum was opened by the Commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission, Mr. Abebe Abebayehu. Among the speakers was Vice President of the European Commission, Mr. Jyrki Katainen. European multinationals like Volkswagen, Unilever and Philips shared insights about doing business in Ethiopia. Prior to the forum, the Ethiopian delegation engaged in company visits.

Zimbabwe Trade and Investment Seminar

Jul 4, 2018 – The Hague
The ‘Zimbabwe Trade and Investment Seminar’ created a platform where both foreign trade and local investment came together to discuss ways to contribute to the economic development of the new governance of the Zimbabwean government. Keynote speaker Mr. Sibusiso Moyo, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe spoke about Zimbabwe’s economic plans for its new government.

Presidential visit: H.E. Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique

May 18, 2017 – The Hague
NABC hosted a business forum on Mozambique, which was graced by the Mozambican president Filipe Nyusi. Over 150 people participated in this high-level Forum, which was organised in cooperation with Shell, Heerema Marine Contractors, Van Oord and Agility, all multinationals that are very active in Mozambique. President Nyusi traveled with a ministerial delegation. Next to the business Forum, NABC organised company visits for the business delegation that accompanied the president and his entourage.

Business Day Senegal, Cabo Verde and Guinea

Jan 26, 2017 – The Hague
The Business Day Senegal, Cabo Verde and Guinea saw the presentations of business opportunities and sector studies in Senegal, Cabo Verde and Guinea by the Dutch Ambassador in Dakar, several investment promotion agencies and consultants. Representatives of Dutch companies already active in the three countries also shared their experience of doing business to the 150 participants. These insights shared proved helpful for the many businesses, knowledge institutes and non-profit organisations attending the event. The day concluded with a networking event over cocktails at the World Trade Center in The Hague.

Rwanda Business Day

Oct 2, 2015 – Amsterdam
The NABC was proud to organise the Rwanda Business Day during a visit to the Netherlands of His Excellency Paul Kagame, the president of Rwanda. The Rwanda Business Day proved to be a great networking possibility between CEO’s and other representatives of 300 Rwandan companies and members of the Dutch private sector.

FAB Forum

Francophone Africa Business Forum 2019

Oct 15, 2019 – Utrecht
Welcoming 100 African and 200 Dutch participants, the Francophone Africa Business (FAB) Forum is the largest forum in the Netherlands focused on the French-speaking African countries. Its 5th edition was held in Utrecht in 2019, and set the stage for connecting more than 100 entrepreneurs from Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo. During the very successful and well-attended event, experts shared  their insights in the fields of agri-technology, climate smart agriculture and circular agriculture with over 200 Dutch participants. The main goal of the forum was to encourage Private Sector Development (PSD) in the Sahel region and in the Democratic Republic of Congo and to create sustainable partnerships with equal benefits between Dutch companies and their African counterparts.

Francophone Africa Business Forum 2018

June 18, 2018 – The Hague
The 4th edition of the Francophone Africa Business (FAB) Forum focused on sustainable value chains in agriculture. With over 400 participants, the day consisted of 6 in-depth workshops, 12 country & company stands, 20 high-level speakers and 10 B2B sessions per participant. The additional participation of a trade delegation of 150 participants from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso made the event a big success. The forum also attracted African participants from countries such as Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, Guinea Conakry, Cameroon, Mauritania, Benin, Togo, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Some of these were present with a country-stand, making this event, taking place at the conference facilities of theme park Madurodam, an attractive sight.

Francophone Africa Business Forum 2017

Nov 1, 2017 – Amsterdam
NABC’s Francophone Africa Business (FAB) Forum is a unique platform to meet more than 100 high-level delegates from Francophone Africa. This third edition of the FAB Forum brought together a large delegation of businesses and public sector officials from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso with a focus on water, energy and logistics. The forum also included participants from other key French speaking countries like Senegal, Ivory Coast, Guinea Conakry, Cameroon, Benin and Togo, and was held at the KIT Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam.

Digital Events

Digital Africa Business Days

Dec 15-16, 2020 – Virtual
On the 15th and 16th of December 2020, NABC organised the Digital Africa Business Days in close cooperation with the Dutch government, TNO and the partners behind the Africa Strategy for the Dutch private sector: VNO-NCW, PUM, DECP, FMO and NLinBusiness. This two day virtual event focused on “Moving Forwards Together”, countering the effects of the COVID-19 crisis and finding innovative solutions to challenges in agriculture, water, energy, healthcare, and circular economy.

With over 1400 registered participants, 100 speakers, and representation of 32 Dutch and African Embassies, the Digital Africa Business Days proved to be a successful platform to engage and find areas for collaboration and partnership. The event featured a live talk show, over 20 thematic sessions, a matchmaking event with the Dutch and African Embassies and numerous sector round tables.

Click here to watch the after movie. Click here to see the pictures of the Digital Africa Business Days 2020.

Webinars

Mar 2020 – Ongoing – Virtual
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, NABC has organised more than 18 country-focused webinars, during which we covered nearly all focus countries of the Dutch Africa Strategy. The purpose of these webinars was to inform Dutch companies about the current situation in the various African countries (regarding COVID-19 but also the business opportunities in a post-COVID era), and to give them the opportunity to ask questions to experts. During many of these webinars, we were joined by the African and Dutch ambassadors, as well as representatives of local government organisations and Dutch entrepreneurs active in the respective countries.

In addition, NABC has also organised various webinars around our Strategic Programmes, such as the Impact Cluster Seeds 4 Change (S4C), and MATCH Project, as well webinars in cooperation with our stakeholders, such as the Managing Currency Risk in Africa Webinar together experts of TCX Fund and NABC Strategic Partner, StoneX. On our YouTube channel you can re-watch all the webinars that we have organised in the past months.

Benin Virtual Sourcing Mission

Mar – Apr, 2021 – Virtual
In March and April 2021, Enabel and NABC organised a virtual B2B Matchmaking event for Beninese pineapple exporters and European importers as a successful virtual alternative to fit within the COVID-19 reality. The aim of the virtual matchmaking was to increase exporter access to EU markets and EU sourcing of pineapple products from Benin. Click here to see the infographic.

Virtual Sourcing Mission Ghana & Côte d'Ivoire

June, 2020 – Virtual
In June 2020, a virtual sourcing mission for Ghanaian and Ivorian fruit exporters was organised by
Hortifresh, IPD and NABC. The sourcing mission with B2B matchmaking for fresh & dried fruit and fruit juice importers and exporters was transformed into a successful virtual alternative to fit within the COVID-19 reality. Click here to see the infographic.

Outgoing Trade Missions

Regional Trade Mission to the SARA in Côte d'Ivoire

October 2023 & November 2019 – Côte d’Ivoire
In October 2023, the NABC led regional poultry and horticulture delegations from Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, and Senegal to the Salon de l’Agriculture et des Resources Animales (SARA) in Abidjan, each filling a stand under the Netherlands Pavilion. Alongside exhibiting their products, connecting with agribusinesses from all over the world, and participating in poultry and horticulture workshops, several matchmaking activities were organised to connect the Francophone African entrepreneurs with business and economic delegations from the Netherlands to enhance inter-regional trade and boost the exchange of agricultural expertise between Francophone Africa and the Netherlands. A similar objective was pursued in 2019 when the NABC organised a horticulture and poultry mission to Côte d’Ivoire in collaboration with RVO and the Netherlands Embassy in Abidjan during which the mission participants attended the SARA as part of the mission programme. The SARA is the most important agriculture trade fair in West Africa.

NL-MASR Knowledge Exchange on Climate and Water Smart Agriculture in Upper Egypt

8 – 11 May 2023 – Egypt
The NABC accompanied a Dutch delegation during the Netherlands-Masr Knowledge Exchange on Climate- and Water-Smart Agriculture at the El-Wadi Exhibition in Luxor, Egypt. The mission programme included field visits, a seminar on practical solutions for farmers, a roundtable on the feasibility of an impact cluster, individual B2B matchmaking, and networking opportunities. The knowledge exchange was joined by eight Dutch companies with the objective to promote climate and water smarter agriculture and strengthen land and crop consolidation in Upper Egypt provinces. The NL-Masr Knowledge Exchange was organised by NABC, Land Water Food Consult, and local consultant Ahmed El Arini, with the support of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and the NL-Masr Agri-food Network.

Multi-Sectoral Trade Mission to the WTC General Assembly in Ghana

22 – 27 April 2023 – Ghana
A Dutch business delegation of 9 companies attended the 53rd WTCA General Assembly in Accra as part of the multi-sectoral trade mission to Ghana. The outgoing mission aimed to connect the Dutch delegation with sector-related entrepreneurs and relevant Ghanaian counterparts to build their network in agriculture, energy, and infrastructure and exchange knowledge with one another for valuable market insights and potential business partnerships. The trade mission was organised by the NABC in cooperation with the World Trade Center Netherlands Alliance and the Ghana Netherlands Business & Culture Council, and enabled participants to assess business opportunities on the ground and mitigate risks in exploring new markets.

Netherlands Pavilion: Farming the Future at the Nigeria Agrofood Fair

28 – 30 March 2023 – Nigeria
‘Farming the Future’ took center stage at the Netherlands Pavilion during the Nigeria Agrofood Fair at the Landmark Centre in Lagos. From the 28th to 30th of March, the Netherlands Pavilion, organised by the Consulate General of the Netherlands, East-West Trade & Consulting, and the NABC, fostered connections between Dutch and Nigerian companies in horticulture and renewable energy throughout the fair. With 12 exhibiting companies, the pavilion showcased Dutch solutions for climate smart agriculture. Beyond networking, the pavilion hosted knowledge exchange workshops on seed sector development, solar energy for agriculture, smart farming technologies for protected horticulture, and food system transformation. With a successful turnout, the event marked a significant contribution to advancing agricultural practices and collaboration between Dutch and Nigerian entities.

Poultry Fact-Finding Mission to Senegal

13 – 17 March 2023 – Senegal
The Poultry Fact-Finding Mission to Senegal aimed to strengthen the domestic poultry sector, aligning with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands’ annual plan in Dakar. The mission reinvigorated Dutch-Senegalese relations, focusing on poultry value chain development. Key areas included poultry slaughter and processing, product conservation, cold chain control, transport logistics, waste management, and poultry feed production. Senegal, designated as a combination country in the Dutch Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation policy brief, emphasises the integration of trade and development cooperation. The fact-finding mission was joined by 8 Dutch poultry companies and was organised by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, the Agricultural Attaché Network, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Dakar in collaboration with the NABC.

Waste Processing and Circular Economy Mission to Egypt

13 – 15 March 2023 – Egypt
The Netherlands Waste Processing and Circular Economy mission to Egypt aimed to enhance the Dutch understanding of the Egypt’s waste processing and circular economy sector by facilitating mutually beneficial opportunities for Dutch and Egyptian waste management industries. Organised by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cairo in collaboration with the NABC, handelsroute.nl, and Outreach Egypt, the Dutch delegates visited various waste processing facilities in Cairo, inlcuding Ertekaa Integrated Solid Waste Management, Bariq, the first ‘bottle-to-bottle’ recycling facility in the MENA region, the Zabbaleen community in ‘Garbage City,’ as well as the Al Ahram Beverages Company, Egypt’s largest brewery. The field visits deepened the understanding of the local waste processing and circular economy sector as a whole, and highlighted mutually beneficial opportunities for the Dutch and Egyptian waste management industry.

Life Sciences and Health Mission to Kenya

Nov 7-10, 2022 – Kenya
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and the Netherlands Embassy in Nairobi in collaboration with Task Force Health Carehandelsroute.nl, and the NABC organised a Life Sciences and Health Mission to Nairobi and Kisumu, Kenya. The mission connected the 14 participating Dutch companies, mostly in e-Health and medical devices, with potential local partners to jointly find solutions to challenges afflicting the Kenyan health sector, thereby accelerating the progress towards Kenya’s Universal Health Access ambitions. With visits to public and private healthcare facilities of different levels of capacity, insightful and inspiring seminars, and connections to valuable local partners via impactful matchmaking, the Life Sciences and Health Mission to Kenya deepened the understanding of the Kenyan healthcare sector as a whole, and highlighted mutually beneficial opportunities for Dutch and Kenyan stakeholders in life sciences and health.

Poultry Africa in Kigali, Rwanda

October 2019 & 2022 – Rwanda
From the 5th 6th of October 2022, Poultry Africa International Exhibition and Conference powered by VIV Worldwide took place in Kigali, Rwanda. NABC, in cooperation with VIV, offered African Industry Leaders free Poultry Africa VIL Packages to encourage attendance at the trade show and the Leadership conference and was present with its own exhibition stand to inform interested visitors about the  Dutch Africa Poultry Platform. In addition, NABC’s poultry team organised the seminar ‘Dutch Solutions for African Poultry Farms’ for the Leadership Conference, during which Dutch industry leaders, including Marel, Roodbont Publishers, and The Schippers Group, presented farming solutions for poultry processing and biosecurity. In 2019, NABC organised an outgoing poultry trade mission to the Poultry Africa Summit in Kigali in close cooperation with VNU Exhibitions and the Dutch Poultry Centre, during which we brought a delegation of Dutch poultry companies and ‘African Industry Leaders’ to the Summit.  

Climate-Smart Agriculture Trade Mission to the Sahara Expo in Egypt

Sep 11-14, 2022 – Egypt From the 11th – 14th of September 2022, the NABC organised the Netherlands Pavilion at the Sahara Expo in Cairo in cooperation with Land, Water & Food Consult and East-West Trade Consulting with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cairo and the Top Sector Agri & Food. The pavilion showcased the holistic approach of the Netherlands to climate-smart agriculture with saline farming as a cross-cutting theme while focusing on Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices and Carbon Farming, Seeds for Resilience, and Smart Water for Resilience with seven Dutch companies exhibiting. During the fair, the NABC, Land Water Food Consult, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cairo also hosted a seminar on the ‘Many Faces of Climate Adaptation’ with a focus on tackling the effects of climate change faced by many countries, including Egypt. 

Mutli-Sector Trade Mission to Cameroon

March 21-25, 2022 – Cameroon
From the 21st – 25th of March 2022, NABC, in cooperation with the Dutch Embassy in Benin (also accredited for Cameroon) and the Honorary Consul in Cameroon, organised a multi-sectoral Trade Mission to Cameroon. The trade mission aimed at connecting Dutch companies within the Agribusiness, Energy, Logistics and Maritime/Construction sector with their Cameroonian counterparts. During the mission, the participating companies met high-level government officials, discovered the business opportunities in Cameroon, and engaged in tailor-made B2B sessions during a Cameroon-Netherlands Business Seminar. 

Blue-Green Mission to Ghana

Nov 6-12, 2019 – Ghana
In October 2019 NABC organised in cooperation with RVO, a Blue-Green Irrigation Mission to Ghana. The mission focused on translating irrigation challenges into opportunities for Dutch knowledge, products, and services in the areas of irrigation and water management for sustainable agriculture. During the mission, participants met government officials from Ghana, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, visited private and public irrigation schemes and participated in round-table discussions with Ghanaian counterparts. The mission was led by irrigation specialist Peter Prins from Land, Water & Food Consult.

Incoming Trade Missions

Uganda's ‘Best Farmers’ Visit The Netherlands

September & June 2023 – The Netherlands
The NABC organised one week of field visits for the winners of the ‘Uganda Best Farmers’ award during their study and knowledge exchange trip to the Netherlands in September and June 2023. After winning the competition in 2019 and 2020, the award-winning farmers could only embark on their study trip to the Netherlands in September and June 2023 due to the pandemic. Accompanied by 2 journalists of the state-owned New Vision newspaper, Bukedde TV and a representative of the Dutch embassy, the NABC organised a one-week mission programme for the delegation from Uganda with field visits relevant to their field of expertise  poultry, dairy, aquaculture, and horticulture. In addition, the NABC organised a dedicated programme for two Ugandan beekeepers. The competition for the Uganda Best Farmersaward is held annually in Uganda and is supported by the Dutch embassy in Kampala as well as corporate sponsors, such as Koudijs, KLM-Air France, DFCU bank and the Vision Group. 

Incoming Fact-Finding Mission from Morocco on Global Agribusiness

November 6-11, 2022 – The Netherlands
The NABC welcomed a delegation of senior Moroccan government administrators and high-ranking business executives to the Netherlands. The mission participants are currently enrolled in MBA programmes of the renowned Hassan II University in Rabat and of ESCA in Casablanca in the frame of which they are visiting the Netherlands for a study and fact-finding trip. Their visit was initiated by the Dutch Embassy in Rabat with the support of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) with the purpose to strengthen diplomatic ties between the Netherlands and Morocco while focusing on agri-food chains in the broadest sense with extra attention to agrilogistics, horticultural chains, and dairy farming. 

Incoming Mission from Sudan, South Sudan, and Somaliland on Feed and Fodder

September 2022 – The Netherlands
As part of the Food & Nutrition Security – Resilience Programme (FNS-REPRO), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) hosted an incoming mission to the Netherlands during which a range of strategic consultation, learning and exchange events were organised by the FAO and Reseach University of Wageningen with the support of the NABC. The incoming mission on feed and fodder welcomed about 30 delegates from Sudan, South Sudan, and Somaliland who took part in the mission’s field days visiting several NABC member companies that educated about feed for dairy husbandry, natural solutions for the improvement of plants, soil, and animal health, soil and water management, as well as seed cleaning, coating, packaging, and delivery.

Incoming Fact-Finding Mission from Nigeria

March 29 – April 1, 2022 – The Netherlands
At the end of March, the NABC together with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and the Netherlands Consulate General in Lagos, organised the first incoming mission since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, it was our pleasure to welcome 26 high-level representatives from the Nigerian public and private sector on the 29th of March. The delegation consisted of six Lagos and Oyo State Commissioners; 10 horticultural companies and knowledge institutes; 4 public and private delegates from the renewable energy sector and 6 public and private delegates from the circular economy sector. The sectors mentioned above were also the missions’ focus areas. A seminar and cocktail kicked-off the fact-finding mission during which various inspiring speakers provided keynote addresses. This event was followed by three days of company visits.

Madagascar: Truly Authentic Pavilion at BIOFACH

Feb 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2022 – Nuremberg
Since 2017, NABC has partnered up with a group of Malagasy companies to organise the ‘Madagascar: Truly Authentic’ Pavilion at the BIOFACH, the world’s leading fair for organic food products in Nuremberg, Germany. The pavilion is a unique place for Malagasy exporters of certified organic products to find new business opportunities with buyers, agents and partners during the fair. The pavilion has created a professional image of Malagasy organic suppliers and their products and allowed them to connect to high-end markets.

Incoming horticulture business delegation from Rwanda

Jun 15 – 19, 2015 – The Netherlands
In June 2015, NABC welcomed an incoming horticulture business delegation from Rwanda, including Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Mrs. Gerardine Mukeshimana. The mission was organised in close cooperation with SPARK, GreenPort Holland, VDS-Acampo, and Netherlands Embassy in Kigali. The delegation, consisting of Rwandan companies from the fruit, vegetables and flower sector, participated in sector focused field visits, matchmaking and a network reception, and visited the conference ‘no more food to waste’ in The Hague.

Programmes

MATCH: Hiring African Talent

January 2020 – January 2023
MATCH was a 3-year project that aimed to address labour market shortages in 4 EU member states: Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. The project promoted existing legal pathways to enable talents from Nigeria and Senegal to work for a period of 1-2 years for companies where specific sectorial labour shortages had been identified – primarily the ICT, technology and digitalisation sectors. In addition to tackling labour shortages in Europe, the African talents had the opportunity to upscale their skills in Europe through temporary work placement and increase their employability upon return to their home countries.

Impact Cluster Kukua Na Kuku (KnK) Tanzania

May 2019 – May 2022
Kukua na Kuku – a poultry sector programme in Tanzania – was implemented by a cluster of Dutch companies that cooperate with Tanzanian poultry farmers to increase their productivity, efficiency, and the quality of their produce. By investing in the entire value chain, the programme aimed to unlock Tanzania’s full potential in poultry. With the cluster’s agricultural expertise and experience, Kukua Na Kuku managed to improve farm management, animal health, and the availability of quality feed and suitable equipment.

Impact Cluster NOSS Tanzania/Madagascar

June 2019 – June 2022
The New Origins Sustainable Spices (NOSS) Cluster
aimed to develop the growing spices sectors in Tanzania and Madagascar through the transfer of knowledge and expertise, for example by way of NOSS nurseries, spice model farms and farmer capacity building. The programme focused on creating a sustainable value chain for export, aiming for an increase in the quality and quantity of organic and conventional spice exports from both countries to the European Union.

The progamme targeted the following crops: ginger (Tanzania), cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and vanilla (Madagascar). In Tanzania, NOSS was active in the Morogoro and Muheza/Same regions and worked closely together with spices exporters GFP and Agri ventures. In Madagascar, NOSS was active in the Tamatave region, working closely together with the CTHT and four spice exporters. Download the info leaflet on NOSS by clicking here.

IMPACT CLUSTER SEEDS 4 CHANGE (S4C) NIGERIA

March 2019 – June 2022
Seeds 4 Change (S4C) was a 3-year programme aimed for the development of the vegetable sector in Kano, Nigeria. The cluster was coordinated and implemented by the NABC and 6 Dutch companies, seed breeders and experts in biological crop protection, partly funded by the Dutch government. S4C was developed to address the growing demand and need for a greater diversity of vegetables; the lack of farmer information; poor access to inputs; and poor cultivation techniques. Through the provision of high-quality vegetable seeds and biological crop protection in combination with training for Nigerian (smallholder) farmers on how to cultivate vegetables, S4C aimed to tackle the above challenges. Access to improved inputs, capacity building activities focused on crop management, such as on-farm training and open field days, and knowledge transfer through practical demonstrations took place under the programme. Find a detailed overview of S4C impact by clicking here.

UDW Green Ports

May 2016 – December 2018
The activities associated with traditional port development negatively impacts ecosystems and socio-economic functions. The aim of the UDW Greenport project was to develop a framework and tools for designing integrated and sustainable ports in Africa in which environmental, economic and public benefits are balanced. The project incorporated an integrated approach to port design that is stakeholder-inclusive and encompasses engineering, ecological, economic and governance aspects. A bottom-up approach was employed, whereby research in all four disciplines was directed at relevant and practical cases in Africa. The generated knowledge and learning was to be applied in developing tools and a generic design framework for African ports. The selected case, i.e. the expansion of the port of Tema in Ghana, demonstrated added value of sustainable designs and could serve as a catalyst for other port projects in Africa.