SMASH Smart Adaptive Sustainable Horticulture

Project number>FDOV12RW04

Country

• Rwanda

Location

• Rwanda
• South Africa

Sector

• Horticulture

Project budget

Partners

• Dutch Horticultural Trade Board (DHTB)
• Rwanda Best Company
• Klein Karoo Seed Marketing Proprietary Limited
• Base of the Pyramid Innovation Centre (BoPInc)
• TNO
• WUR

Project description

The project aims to develop practical and sustainable (from low-tech, low value protected to mid-tech and high-tech) greenhouse systems, for the specific condition in Rwanda and South Africa. The project will do this by adapting and adjusting the extensive high-tech knowledge, technology and entrepreneurship of the Dutch Horticulture sector to be able to produce higher quality vegetables in the selected countries. The approach is based on the so called Smart Adaptive Sustainable Horticulture (SMASH) concept of DHTB, WUR and TNO, in combination with value chain development. Final goal is to generate solutions that match with the local demand of investors. The applicant is DHTB, as a private partner together with Klein Karoo from South Africa (for the med-tech solution) and Rwanda Best Company (low-tech). WUR/LEI contributes with plant production knowledge (in particular tomato plants), TNO Greenhouse horticulture contributes with the modular greenhouse system: SIOM, System Integration Optimisation Model, and BoP Innovation centre, who will contribute to inclusive innovations with lower-resource farmers, creating access to financial instruments and to impact investors. No local public partners are involved yet. In South Africa the high-tech patner has to be selected still. The main activities are expert support and training. The project will focus in both countries on tomato production.

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