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Horse sense wanted!Despite the slump in Dutch agriculture, almost 90% of the organised farmers, horticulturists,rural women and rural youngsters believe that their organisations should support development cooperation.That is one of the main findings of a research conducted by Agro-Transfer from Dronten in 2003, on behalfof Agriterra. If we look back on the activities in the Netherlands between 2001 and 2003, that supportdoes not only show from the words that Dutch agriculture dedicated to international cooperation, but mostlyfrom its actions.second-hand agricultural tools for Croatia, to follow a trainingat a farmers’ organisation in Brazil or to go on a short missionto Rwanda as an agricultural journalist, the Dutch farmers’organisations are increasingly self-confident when it comes toassuming their role in international cooperation.The time to reap is yet to come, but over the past few years,we have sown the seeds of an efficient form of developmentcooperation, in which farmers, horticulturists, rural women andrural youngsters will take the lead. There are many challengesahead, but from farmer to farmer, there are still plenty ofopportunities to improve agriculture in developing countries -all it takes is a lot of horse sense!Host familyHost families are a new way for farmers to broaden theirviews. Farmer leaders (m/f) from the South who visit theNetherlands stay with their counterparts and are thusintroduced to life in the Dutch countryside.The Dutch host families in turn get to know their colleaguesfrom developing countries. By acting as a host family, Dutchfarmer families are given the opportunity to put internationalcooperation into practice.If you wish to act as a host family, please contact Cees van Rij,vanrij@agriterra.org.‘Development cooperation really is an enrichment’That is good to hear, especially since we realise that theIn the northern provinces of the Netherlands, the Farmers’Mariet Huijts from Voerendaal (Limburg) and Miets Willemsdeveloped a cheap and simple filter system that allows thedeveloping countries’ major problems are begging for majorOrganisation of the Northern Netherlands (NLTO), the Dutchfrom Kessel are true ambassadors of development cooperation.everyday purification of household drinking water in under-solutions. The most distressing problem is famine. At thisRural Women’s Union (NBvP) and the Dutch Agricultural YouthThey personally sought contact with the company DSM, indeveloped areas.moment, more than 850 million people are suffering fromOrganisation (NAJK) devote their commitment and expertise toorder to join forces in tackling the water problems in Homa Bay,hunger. Surely there must be a way to provide everyone on thistheir counterparts of FUPRO in Benin. From pig breeder to dairyKenya.planet with enough and affordable food? Especially given thefarmer, the members of project group Tanzania of the Southernfact that there are more than one billion farmers worldwide!Netherlands’ Farmers’ Organisation (ZLTO) are always willing toMariet is an active member of the working group AgricultureSupporting farmers and their organisations in developinggive a fascinating presentation or hold a lively debate about theirand Development Cooperation of the Limburg Agricultural andcountries in order to ban hunger – that is, in a nutshell, thevisit to Mviwata, a farmers’ organisation in Tanzania. WhetherHorticultural Union (LLTB). Being the chairwoman of thechallenge that Agriterra is facing, as well as everyone else whothey are asked to collect money for a credit fund in Nicaragua,‘Triangle’ working group, she stays in touch with two women’sis involved in agricultural development cooperation. There is ato act as a host family for farmer leaders from Benin, to repairorganisations: Pasaka in the Philippines and LABALU in Kenya.lot of work to be done – not just in the developing countries,Mariet: "I want to focus on content and help my colleagues inbut also in the Netherlands.developing countries to increase theirproceeds, within the limits of my ownAnd then the following question arises: Is it possible for me, asknow-how and possibilities."a horticulturist, to do something for my counterparts in thedeveloping countries? Do the Dutch rural women’s organisationsMiets accidentally read an article in ‘DeThe article from ‘De Limburger’ became more concrete oncehave something to offer to their counterparts in developingLimburger’, a Dutch newspaper, whichMariet and Miets had contacted the DSM employees. Incountries? Could I, as a young Dutch farmer, help the farmers insaid that DSM held the competitionDecember 2003, they all travelled to Kenya, for a joint visit todeveloping countries? The answer to all these questions is plain‘Sharing our dream, sharing our talents’.partner organisation LABALU. The group evaluated the localand simple: Yes! Many farmers, horticulturists, rural women andThis worldwide competition, for a totalwater problems. The surface water in and around Homa Bayrural youngsters have been active for years in finding practicalvalue of 5 million euros, allowed DSM’sis highly polluted, because the cattle drink it and relieve them-ways to help their less fortunate colleagues in developing coun-employees to make their dreams comeselves in it, women use it to wash clothes and do the dishes,tries. Development cooperation might not be the Dutchtrue and to help build a better world.and it is used as drinking water. DSM’s filter system would beorganisations’ core business, but there are plenty of examplesThree dreams had been selected, amonga good solution.of active development farmers and policy workers who selflesslywhich that of DSM employees AlexA prototype of the filter system is currently being tested indevote themselves to "their" organisation in the South.Vrinzen and Paul Vergossen. They hadBangladesh. If the filter works properly and is approved, it>>38 39