The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh formally launched FoodTechBangladesh today, a four-year-long PPP-based development program.
Dutch animal feed company Nutreco in partnership with Dutch consultancies Larive and Viqon is investing in fish and shrimp farms in Bangladesh. The Foreign Ministry in the Hague is also supporting the project, called FoodTechBangladesh.
The aim is to establish demonstration centers in the Sylhet, Khulna and Cox’s Bazar of Bangladesh. There, 1,600 local fish and shrimp farmers are to be trained in modern, environmentally friendly cultivation techniques.
The partners also intend to map out the prospects of local applicability to food supplements and antibiotic substitutes.
The participants are investing a combined 6 million euros. They are to work in partnership with local shrimp processor Gemini Sea food, chicken and fish farmer Aftab Bahumukhi Farms and Bengali consulting firm LightCastle Partners.
The launching event was graced by Birgitta Tazelaar, Deputy Director-General for International Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands as the chief guest. Alongside, the Dutch ambassador to the Netherlands, H.E. Anne van Leeuwen, also attended the event. Matthias Brienen, Director, Larive International, anchored the session; while LightCastle was represented by Zahedul Amin, Co-founder and Director, LightCastle Partners, and Sanjir Ali, Senior Business Consultant and Project Manager.
Larive is leading the four-year project. It has previously set up similar fish farms and agricultural projects in Indonesia, India, Myanmar, Africa and Eastern Europe.
