Women are the Backbone of Agriculture: Maaike Groot, Global Head, East-West Seed Group

Amidst the vibrant ambiance of Rotterdam, the beating heart of innovation and collaboration pulses at the International Seed Federation (ISF). Nestled within the scenic confines of the Netherlands, the illustrious Rotterdam Ahoy sets the stage for the grand spectacle that is the World Seed Congress 2024. Among the distinguished attendees, MC Dominic, the visionary Founder, and Editor-in-Chief of Krishi Jagran is taking part in this prestigious congregation.

Recently, he spoke to Maaike Groot, Global Head of Communications and Public Affairs at East-West Seed Group. As part of the discussion, Groot said, “The East-West Seed Group was started by my father 42 years ago. The company has a clear mission: to improve the income and livelihood of small-holding farmers. So, he utilized his experience and knowledge about vegetable seeds to support these farmers and traveled from the Philippines to Thailand, Indonesia, and finally India.”

In her view, given India’s huge population, there is a lot of potential. “We feel that we can contribute to the lives of Indian farmers especially since our seeds offer disease resistance, uniformity, and longer shelf-life. We are developing better varieties to support farmers in vegetable cultivation techniques. Besides, we also train farmers, government officials, and owners of seed shops on how to deal with the seed varieties.”

Speaking about East-West’s presence in India, she stated, “We started with Aurangabad in Maharashtra and then set up a base in Bangalore, Karnataka for seed production. We are working with women farmers too as we realize that women are the backbone of agriculture. If they are supported, they will be able to grow their business and attain independence as well as serve as a source of knowledge for the communities.” She also remarked that the company is encouraging youth in the agricultural domain as well.

“An estimated 23 million farmers benefit from our seeds and we in turn approximate that it feeds nearly 200 million people across the world. By gaining mass and working in different countries, we were able to build a healthy and sustainable business,” she said. In the foreseeable future, the target countries for the Group include the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, India, and some African countries.