Fresh produce for a better health and future: in NL and KSA Dr. Hans van der Beek Agricultural Counsellor for the GCC Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Riyadh healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

Fresh produce is important …. … for food security; … for your health; … for the economy; … for employment. So it is important for our collective future!! healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

Countries in N Africa / W Asia achieved the international hunger target Kuwait Oman Algeria Iran Jordan Morocco FAO (2015) The State of Food Insecurity in the World (Publication on the state of the millenium goal for combatting hunger) Egypt Lebanon Saudi Arabia Tunisia Turkey UAE 50 % less hungry people; <5% undernourished in % less hungry people in 2015 <5% undernourished since 1990 healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

Healthy food? WHO recommends 200 g vegetables and 200 g fruits daily. In NL: appr. 50%. Only 1% of the children eat enough vegetables and only 5 % enough fruits (Van Dam). In KSA ( ): among 367 students of Damam University: only 15 %. In NL: an extra serving of 156 g daily could save € 2.7 billion in health costs (RIVM). healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

Relationship fruits / vegetables and overweight healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future survey among 200 female students Hail University (Epuru et al., 2014)

healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

Why don’t we eat more fresh vegetables and fruits?? healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

NL: Champion in vegetables and fruits Nr 1 in export of: Tomato Sweet pepper Onion Pear Grapefruit Beet root & Black salsify Brussels sprouts Leek Chicory Several berries Water-use efficient: Vegetable growing in NL is 2x more productive than EU-average, but with far less water. healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

Import of vegetables & fruits from NL Total from NL € 3 billionAgricultural products € 0.4 billion Vegetables and fruits € 32.7 million FRESH VEGS FROZEN / DRY FRUITS FROZEN VEGS € 4.1 million DRY VEGS Fresh vegetables Frozen / dry vegetables Fruits Apples / pears € 0.7 m Strawberry € 0.6 m € 15 m healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

NL: increasingly sustainable Goal: in 2020 all fresh vegetables and fruits in supermarkets are sustainably produced. (“Covenant Sustainable Purchasing Fresh vegetables and Fruits”) The Netherlands scores significantly better than other countries on lowest residuals on vegetables and fruits. Energy-efficiency in greenhouses has doubled since >3% is now from renewable energy. Also, geo-thermal projects in progress. CO 2 -emissions have been reduced by 25%. healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

Demand for organic produce will rise healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

Innovations CO 2 -drying: energy saving; low cost; preserving taste and texture. Laser-system, to keep vegetables and fruits fresh in packages: just enough oxygen to keep fresh. Bio-based plastics to replace petroleum-based plastics: composable biofoam. healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

GCC consumption of vegetables: only slow increase healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

Today and together … …we state that we can have a healthier life by consuming more fresh produce. …we acknowledge that we have to develop further the sustainable growing of fresh vegetables. …we need a market which can guarantee safe and healthy vegetables and fruits. …we will work together to make responsible steps to reach this for our future. healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future

healthy food healthy lifestyle (2) Fresh Produce, Your Health, Our Future LET US DO SO TODAY AND TOGETHER.