The economic team of the Dutch Embassy continues preparations for the planned economic mission to North Sumatra. To ensure its effectiveness, this mission is forecasted to be held in the second half of January 2022*. As a stepping stone towards the mission, this November, our Embassy team visited Humbang Hasundutan Food Estate, as well as participated in Medan Industrial Zone (KIM) Expo to showcase Dutch solutions and technologies on waste management and renewable energy.
Advance visits of the Embassy’s economic team this Fall were aimed to strengthen the relationship with the local public and private sector, following-up the leads identified during the preparatory virtual “focus sessions” which you may have participated in throughout this year. The Head of the Economic Department, Hans de Brabander, met the Vice Governor of North Sumatra and the Regional Secretary of Medan City to discuss the way forward to strengthen the econ omic relations through the upcoming mission. This particularly on the nexus of AgriFood-Water for Food and Waste-Energy. Read more about our visit to Medan in October here.
This month, Agriculture Counselor Joost van Uum met the Regent of Humbang Hasundutan, to also discuss the opportunity to build closer ties on sustainable agriculture, particularly within the food system developments. Read more about the visit here (ref. article below).
As another stepping stone towards the economic mission in 2022, our Embassy opened a “Netherlands Pavilion” at the Medan Industrial Zone (KIM) Expo showcasing Dutch solutions and technologies on waste management and renewable energy, to KIM tenants (e.g. factories). Dutch companies HYVA, HyET Solar, IDBH Senso and Rebel Group participated in the pavilion and met potential local counterparts to explore business opportunities.
Interested to participate in the mission in 2022? We would like to ask you to take approx. 20 minutes of your time to fill out this questionnaire to help us build a program that fits your needs as much as possible. Your input is highly valuable for us! This questionnaire is open until Tuesday, 7 December 2021 at 15.00 WIB.
*remarks: we are checking with the local authorities on the timing, to ensure the mission can be conducted as responsibly possible.
Building closer ties on sustainable agriculture: our Embassy’s visit to Humbang Hasundutan Regency
From 11 to 13 November, Dutch Agriculture Counsellor, Mr. Joost van Uum, accompanied by Dutch Honorary Consul in Medan, Mr. Ony Hindra Kusuma, paid a second visit to Humbang Hasundutan Regency.
The aim of the visit was to build closer ties on sustainable agriculture, particularly within the food system developments. In the morning of 12 November, Mr. van Uum and the team met Regent Dosmar Banjarnahor and other relevant stakeholders in Humbang Hasundutan Food Estates. In attendance were several top officials from the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS), the provincial government of North Sumatra and representatives of the private sector.
Moderated by the project manager of the Food Estates, Mr. Van Basten Panjaitan, the joint meeting discussed potential collaboration in infrastructure, technology, and know-how to create a successful and sustainable food system. The horticulture-based food estate in the region is part of the Indonesian government’s priority project to boost local agriculture production and national food security. The main commodities are garlic, shallots and potatoes. By the end of 2021, it is scheduled that the food estate program will reach 1000ha areas. On top of that, a research centre will be constructed of more than 500ha.
During the meeting, Mr. van Uum emphasized the landscape approach, and also shared the agro park concept to establish a sustainable food estate. Currently, a Dutch-based company teams up with BAPPENAS in conducting a landscape assessment in the Food Estate. The study, later on, will be included in the food estate master plan developed by BAPPENAS. Within the nexus of agrifood-water, the meeting also addressed the preparation of the upcoming Dutch economic mission to North Sumatra, particularly to the Food Estate area. As a leading country in the agriculture sector, this will be an opportunity for the Dutch expertise to support the local needs.
Regent Banjarnahor expressed his appreciation for the visit of Mr. van Uum and his team, which is essential for progress of agriculture development in Humbang Hasundutan. The one-hour long meeting was closed with the giving of ‘ulos’, a local handwoven fabric by the traditional elder to Mr. van Uum. Later that day, led by the Regent, Mr. van Uum and the team conducted a trip to the Food Estate located in Ria-Ria Village, Pollung sub-district. The site visit allowed the team to see drip irrigation application for garlic and the demonstration plot of transplant shallots.
