HortiRoad2India Launches Blueprint to Boost Indian Agriculture via Indo-Dutch Partnership

NLHortiRoad2India, on Thursday, announced a comprehensive roadmap aimed at transforming Indian agriculture via sustainable, tech-enabled, and joint Indo-Dutch solutions with a three-year public-private partnership between the Government of the Netherlands and global leaders in Dutch greenhouse horticulture technology. 

Punjab, which is the granary of India, is endowed with vast and fertile lands, and a strong agricultural background, along with the farmers' willingness to try out new technology and methods. Thus, NLHortiRoad2India, taking this potential of Punjab into account, has communicated with the stakeholders to improve quality and yield.

During these last three years, the NLHortiRoad2India team has made hundreds of stakeholders across India aware of the major problems that they face, such as post-harvest losses, food safety, labour conditions, grading inefficiencies, and lack of financing which is easily accessible.

The company said in a statement that all these insights shaped strategic solutions that led to the blueprint, which adopts a holistic ecosystem approach. This includes greenhouse technology, market linkages, training, education, and long-term financing. 

The collaboration has incorporated agri-entrepreneurs and farmers. The pilots will be in place by the close of 2026 and will demonstrate as potential models, adaptable to the whole of India, that are scaling according to the factors of climate, crop variety, and distance to market.

NLHortiRoad2India has pointed out the critical necessity of changing the public viewpoint and legislations concerning fresh produce in India, as a large part of the fruit and vegetable market is still based on heavily chemically-treated produce and grown in an environmentally unfriendly manner.

“NLHortiRoad2India is expanding its scope to include mid- and low-tech solutions for crops with varying market values. The partnership is also fostering start-up collaborations between Indian and Dutch innovators to jointly develop technologies and establish local production units, creating employment, reducing costs, and bolstering the regional agri-tech framework across India and Africa,” said Desh Ramnath, India Director at Dutch Greenhouse Delta and Coordinator of NLHortiRoad2India.

The company said that NLHortiRoad2India also enhances farmer income, reduces food waste, and elevates transparency across the supply chain. With solutions tailored for growers, retailers, chefs, and consumers, the initiative aims to drive India towards safer, more sustainable food choices.
 
“NLHortiRoad2India, we are building bridges between Dutch innovation and Indian ambition for inclusive growth, enhancing food safety and climate-smart agriculture. By aligning technology with local requirements, we are unlocking new possibilities for healthier produce and resilient food systems that benefit both nations and inspire global collaboration,” said Tiffany Meijer, Project Manager for International Trade at InnovationQuarter & Rotterdam Partners & Co-coordinator, HortiRoad2India.