Green Sector and Sustainability
In 2008 NIHA initiated various activities in the field of agriculture. For example, in April 2008, a project proposal was submitted for ‘WOMAN-AGRI-POWER’ – a project that aims to improve education and employment opportunities for women in the organic agriculture sector in Kirazlı in the Aydın province.
NIHA’s activities in the field of agri- and horticulture have increased in the last year, as the result of intensive contacts with enthusiastic representatives from this sector during the 2008 economic mission. Also as a result of the 2g@there program, which is active in Turkey as ‘Seraculture’, these activities often focus on educational initiatives on greenhouse horticulture and on using the potential of geothermal energy for this sector.
A first concrete move has been a working visit to the Izmir region, one of the most important horticulture areas in Turkey – organised in cooperation with the Christelijke Agrarische Hogeschool (CAH) Dronten, the Ege University and the Izmir Chamber of Commerce.
Between 26 February and 2 March 2009, participants visited various horticulture companies, intermediary and wholesale businesses, cooperations, auctions, and related higher and vocational education institutions.
The highlight of the visit was a multi stakeholder working group, in which experts from the CAH, local professionals from the sector, representatives from the Izmir Chamber of Commerce, representatives from educational institutions, and NIHA made a joint effort to identify the educational needs of the Turkish horticulture sector.
The working visit laid a solid basis for the further development of several follow up activities. Thus far, the most important results of the working visit have been that:
• Plans have been initiated to, within a feasible time frame, establish four-year skills oriented horticulture education in the Izmir region
• A large number of contacts have been developed within the sector, which can lead to internship positions related to vocational education
• A good understanding has been developed of the structure and needs of, as well as the views within the Turkish horticulture sector.
NIHA has made a promotional film of this visit, which can be viewed at:
http://vimeo.com/3778475
On 25 March 2009, a Seraculture delegation visited NIHA for an extended introduction and to discuss the possible role of NIHA within the Seraculture project. This delegation consisted of representatives from AVAG, PTC+, Wageningen University and Research Centre, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and the EVD.
Between 30 May and 7 June 2009, NIHA has participated actively in a study visit within the framework of the “Kies Kleur in Groen” initiative – an initiative by numerous Dutch agriculture (higher) vocational education institutions which aims at having pupils with various cultural backgrounds in the classroom.
As part of the visit, which entailed visits to numerous vocational schools, universities and enterprises in the regions of Konya, Bursa and Istanbul, NIHA accompanied the delegation – which consisted of approximately 30 persons representing the most significant parts of the Dutch agriculture education sector – as an expert on the Turkish sector and education system.
Since 2009 NIHA’s network in the field of agri- and horticulture in both Turkey and the Netherlands has expanded rapidly and NIHA commonly maintains warm working relations with large parts of the Dutch as well as Turkish agriculture education and professional sector.
In 2009, NIHA is working with (or has worked with), the following partners: CAH Dronten; InHolland Delft; HAS den Bosch; AOC-Raad; Aequor, APS, STOAS; CREM; the two-year vocational schools in Mustafapaşa (Nevşehir) and İhsaniye (Kocaeli); Uludag University; Ege University and related vocational schools; Izmir University of Economics; Adnan Menderes University Aydin,; Kocatepe University, and; Kurt Holding.
