Potato Company Agrico winner in Dutch final of European Enterprise Promotion Awards (EEPA)

After winning the 2016 Ambassador Prize, last week potato cooperative Agrico from Emmeloord also won the Dutch final of the European Enterprise Promotion Award (EEPA).

In this competition, the European Commission goes in search of the most original and most successful government and public-private partnership initiatives in the EU. They look for initiatives that promote entrepreneurship. The best entries are rewarded with the European Awards.

Agrico will be nominated for the EEPA for its initiative in Kenya, where a profitable potato chain will be established that contributes to food security in that country. By cultivating high-quality seed potatoes and with good knowledge guidance, the intended 12,500 small farming enterprises can increase their potato yield to four to five times its current level. This gives Kenya a substantial economic boost, increasing the standard of living of these inhabitants and those around them. The project will be expanded in years to come to include around 800,000 small farmers in Kenya, and to the surrounding countries.

The project receives a subsidy from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency's FDOV fund under its new Aid & Trade policy, which offers development in collaboration with the business world. In addition to Agrico, various other Dutch companies are involved in the Kenya project as suppliers.

On 30 November 2016 the national selections will go head-to-head at the European final in Bratislava.