The Netherlands has announced that it has awarded €60 million to grow its domestic cellular agriculture ecosystem. While the products may take time to reach the shelves, this fund emphasizes the potential of this rapidly growing sector.
The sum is a part of a larger €382 million fund hopefully where the initial phase supports the research and scoping stage. Followed by access to facilities to scale up and mainstream their operations, the larger impact of this initiative would be to engage with farmers directly empowering them for future-fit food systems.
So what?
The Netherlands have been historically amongst the first to fund alternative meat research. This project allows them to challenge the current broken food system and create a template for the world to follow. Public sector support also encourages private companies to embrace a sustainable business model reliant on innovation and regeneration.
How will this impact the wider food production and consumption dynamics within the region? Will key stakeholders such as farmers and food chain workers be central to this newer self-sustaining indudtry?
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