Press release

Bucharest, September 1st, 2026

The new communication campaign highlights Dutch AgriFoodTech innovations that can transform agriculture and the food industry in Romania

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Romania today is launching the communication campaign “NL Agrifood Tech: Smarter. Together / Facem agricultura mai inteligentă. Împreună”, an initiative aimed at introducing the Romanian public to technological innovations from Dutch companies that can sustainably support and push Romanian agriculture and the food industry.

Around 30 companies and partners from the Netherlands, active in fields such as precision farming, agricultural robotics, greenhouse technologies, fruit-growing technologies, smart irrigation and sustainable food processing, will present their latest innovative products, services and technologies over the next two months, along with the impact these are already having in real-life projects. The latest developments presented by the participating companies will be featured on the Embassy’s social media channels and on the AgriculturaPerformantaRO pages on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Romania is thus continuing the series of communication initiatives launched in previous years – ‘Sustainability Heroes’ and ‘Resilient & Sustainable. Together’ – this time adding smart technology (smart-tech) as a central theme, alongside sustainability and resilience.

Why the Dutch-Romanian partnership in agrifood tech matters

The Netherlands is the world’s second-largest exporter of agri-food products, right after the United States, with agri-food exports exceeding 137 billion euros in 2025, according to data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). This, importantly due to the Dutch traditions of enterpreneurship and innovativeness. The Dutch agri-food sector is renowned for innovations such as vertical farming, milking and harvesting robotics, high-efficiency greenhouse technologies, high-tech solutions for fruit growing and the entire fruit value chain, and solutions to reduce water consumption and emissions, and most of the major agri-food companies with a global impact carry out extensive research and development activities in this country.

Romania, for its part, remains a major agricultural player in the European Union: the value of national agricultural production exceeded 22 billion euros in 2023, placing the country seventh in the EU, whilst the absorption rate of European funds for agriculture and rural development through the National Rural Development Programme (PNDR) exceeded 95 per cent, providing a substantial injection of capital directed towards farmers and rural businesses. At the same time the sector faces multiple challenges, related for example to climate change, rising energy prices and socio demographical developments. Approximately 18–20 per cent of Romania’s working-age population is employed in agriculture, compared with an EU-wide average of just 4 per cent – a difference that highlights both the country’s economic dependence on this sector and the need for investment in mechanisation, digitalisation and professional training.

This combination of Dutch technological expertise and Romania’s as yet untapped agricultural potential creates, according to the campaign organisers, concrete opportunities for collaboration and doing business between farmers, agri-food companies, EU-funds consultants and research institutions in Romania. Also to modernize the sector, make it more competetive and more climate resilient.

“Year after year, Dutch companies have demonstrated that they can produce more and more sustainably, using fewer resources. Through the campaign , we aim to bring this expertise closer to farmers and companies in Romania, at a time when the digitalisation of agriculture and the impact of modern technologies on this sector are essential for European food security.”

Sophie Neve, Agricultural Counsellor, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Romania

The campaign will conclude with a dedicated event

The campaign will conclude with an already-traditional knowledge-sharing, matchmaking and networking event – organised annually by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bucharest, scheduled this year for October 29 late afternoon. The event will be attended by representatives from some of the companies and organisations taking part in the campaign, who will have the opportunity to speak directly with potential partners, experts and decision-makers from Romania.

Among the companies taking part in the campaign are Ag Leader, Rometron, GPX, CropX, Rapagra, APH Group, Kubo, Cormana, Nivavi, Bbleap, Meteor Systems, Geerlofs Koeltechniek, CalfOtel, as well as the Digi-Fruit Cluster, comprising 15 Dutch companies focused on the digitalisation of the entire fruit chain.

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About the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Romania

Through its economic diplomacy activities, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Romania supports the development of business relations and collaboration between companies, institutions and authorities from both countries, including in the agri-food sector.

The ‘NL Agrifood Tech: Smarter. Together.’ campaign is part of the Embassy’s ongoing efforts to facilitate collaboration between Dutch and Romanian companies and to stimulate institutional dialogue between the two countries, including to contribute to European objectives on food security.

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Press contact:

Iuliana Butuc-Cerchez, prSTEPS

Email: iuliana@prsteps.com

Tel: 0744492953

(Additional photos and videos from the campaign are available on request.)