Development projects Rijk Zwaan

Since 1999 the Rijk Zwaan Committee for Development Cooperation (COS) has been involved in development work, with a focus on sharing our knowledge about vegetable production.

We work together with local organisations to offer technical advice, share knowledge and provide support to farmers and growers in developing countries. Our aim is to stimulate vegetable consumption within families and to help farmers and growers to improve their income position. We are currently supporting projects in Peru, Guatemala, Haiti, Albania and Gambia.

The projects are partly funded by the Rijk Zwaan board. Employees provide financial support too; once every two years, the money that would have been spent on the traditional Christmas gifts for all workers is donated to a good cause instead.

The COS committee is made up of Rijk Zwaan employees and two external advisors. They are directly involved in the projects so that they can monitor and evaluate the results with their own eyes.

Some of our projects

Fresh vegetables at high altitude

CSR06-06-2023

Fresh vegetables at high altitude

The Kusimayo Foundation offers help to the local population in some of Peru’s poorest areas, such as by building heated accommodation and setting up small-scale greenhouses. It also fosters knowledge sharing about healthy eating and hygiene. Vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan has been supporting Kusimayo since 2017.

Vegetable consumption in Peru

CSR13-12-2021

Boosting vegetable consumption in Peru

Aprodes supports families to grow their own vegetables. The organisation runs courses in crop production, and nutritionists explain the importance of healthy eating to the locals. As a result, more and more families have created their own vegetable garden, and there has been a strong improvement in the local diet. Aprodes has been active in the south east of Peru, close to the city of Cuzco, since 2006. The Rijk Zwaan Committee for Development Cooperation has been supplying vegetable seeds since 2005 and also shares its technical expertise.

Horticultural knowledge centre in Guatemala

CSR13-12-2021

Horticultural knowledge centre in Guatemala

Utz Samaj, a FUDI programme, is aimed at stimulating small businesses and above all young people to grow vegetables professionally. Rijk Zwaan has been supporting Utz Samaj for more than 15 years. COS supplies the college with seeds for use in the greenhouses, and our employees from Guatemala teach classes there.

25 years of COS

Download COS magazine

COS Magazine - ENPDF Download COS Magazine - Spanish PDF Download COS Magazine - NLPDF Download

Keen to know more?

Keen to know more?

Heleen Bos

Marketing specialist Organics / Foreign Development Projects