Third day Nepal Study Tour to The Netherlands

Today started early with a guided tour through the auction / logistics/ distribution centre of Royal Flora Holland. What an amazing high level logistical system! 

Peter Otto, manager member platform explained how this cooperative company is governed. They still work with the AGM as the highest authority but are in process of converting towards a member council. The main reasons for this change is the complexity of the organisation (can an ordinary member still understand what is going on?) and, the fact that the AGM is attended by on average only 8% of the members. Discussion was concentrating on how do you ensure that you have the right representation in a member council, and is the approach of Flora Holland ethically correct? There was a lively discussion about the voting system which is proportional (based on turnover of the member) but regressive (n in Nepal: one member, one vote). The importance of member commitment was underlined several times by Peter. The members are the owner, supplier and customer (services) of the cooperative.  and illustrated that the cooperative is OF ((ownership-influence); FOR (Services-Employment) and BY (Commitment-participation).  

The WorldHortiCentre is an innovation center of the international greenhouse horticulture sector. Frank Hollaar (Flynth and Agripooler) presented the “birth” and background of this centre: originally this area was full of horticulture but in this densely populated part of The Netherlands there is no more space to grow. Instead the business, government and other stakeholders decided to continue the spirit of horticulture and become a kind of the Silicon city in horticulture. This innovation center hosts education (a vocational (MBO) college with 1200 students); research centers and exhibition of services by 60 private companies. 
The building (brand new) looks partly like a glass house (it also hosts 40 demo glasshouses). It has conference rooms, network places, exhibition spaces, a restaurant, the school etc.  the idea is that innovation will be accelerated by a smooth cooperation and networking among stakeholders, that are all housed under the same roof.  A one stop shops for horticultural innovations. The official opening if the centre is yet to take place. But we can proudly say that we brought in the first Nepalese delegation already!.

In Gouda, we had a short intermezzo that was basically used to taste and buy cheese and stroopwafels. At 17.00 we had three presentations by Rabobank: Hans Groeneveld, Rabobank Netherlands and professor at Tilburg University, presented the history and current developments of Rabobank. Rabobank dropped the third cooperative principle: member economic participation, and it was explained that members are not really in control of the bank anymore. This resulted in a lot of questions and remarks. Hans Telkamp (Director Rabobank Gouwe streek) explained how the local Rabobank is working, the role and function of the local member councils and what the bank does for its community. And Ludo Mennes, Rabobank Emmeloord and Agripooler explained about the pillar: banking for food and its building blocks. Interesting to know is that recently a website for farmers worldwide was started: www.globalfarmers.com. 

The delegation had diner together with the Rabobank representatives and some further discussion. As the study tour is long (14 days) and this was day 11, one can imagine that the energy levels are going down a bit. But it was another interesting day with some new elements and thoughts about cooperatives, and the continuous adjustments one must made to be and remain future proof. 

Bertken de Leede
Agriterra business advisor