The India lead of Dutch Greenhouse Delta explains how HortiRoad2India aims to modernise India’s horticulture sector through technology, training, and a gradual shift toward sustainable, high-value farming

India, the world’s second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables, continues to struggle with the twin challenges of low farmer income and post-harvest losses. Despite rising demand for high-value crops, the horticulture sector remains hindered by fragmented supply chains and uneven technology adoption. Against this backdrop, HortiRoad2India, supported by the Government of the Netherlands, seeks to modernise Indian horticulture through climate-resilient technologies, advanced training, and market-linked innovation.

While speaking with BW Businessworld, Desh Ramnath, India Director, Dutch Greenhouse Delta and Director–Coordinator of HortiRoad2India, said the initiative aims to demonstrate that farming can be profitable without reliance on subsidies. “If I can make a farmer profitable without government support, that’s real success,” he said.

Ramnath explained that the project addresses Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to clean water and climate action, while contributing indirectly to zero hunger by improving productivity and profitability. “We are starting with crops such as strawberries, blueberries, and cherry tomatoes. The idea is not luxury farming, but behavioural change,” he said. “Every transformation begins with awareness and small steps. Once profitability and impact are proven, trust follows.”

He noted that India’s key obstacles lie not only in limited access to finance but in the lack of market awareness. “Most farmers don’t even know the retailer. They grade their produce, but the system fails them. Post-harvest losses occur because of poor handling, regrading, and exposure to heat and bacteria,” he said. “The real change begins when farmers know what to grow and how to grow it.”

On the role of technology, Ramnath sought to dispel misconceptions about greenhouses being sources of greenhouse gas emissions. “That’s a misunderstanding,” he said. “The term ‘greenhouse gases’ has nothing to do with agricultural greenhouses. Our structures are for controlled-environment farming. They actually help absorb CO₂ from the air and feed it to plants. So in effect, we fight emissions, not create them.”

He described the project’s cultivation method as a more advanced version of hydroponics, combining precision irrigation with water recycling. “Each plant receives exactly the water it needs. About sixty per cent of the water is drained, sterilised, and reused. In the Netherlands, the shift from soil to substrates made the biggest difference in water and fertiliser use. Even in India, moving from soil to substrate should be the first step,” he said.

Asked about the high cost of setting up such facilities- estimated at around EUR 250 per square metre Ramnath said affordability must be matched with profitability. “The blueprint remains the same; only the technology price differs. The Netherlands leads in every level of farming, from open-field to high-tech. But I cannot sell a farmer a cheap solution that drives him to bankruptcy,” he said.

Before deploying the technology, his team studies local climates and crop demand. “If an area has demand for cucumbers, we look at what the crop needs-CO₂, water, temperature, humidity-and decide the suitable technology level. It could be low-tech, mid-tech, or open-field. Our goal is to make farming viable at every scale,” he added.

Initially, the project is focusing on urban and peri-urban regions such as Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, and Kochi, where awareness and organised retail systems are stronger. “Eventually, we’ll go everywhere, but people must first understand why sustainable food matters,” Ramnath said. “Many still believe toxins can be cooked away, which is untrue. That’s where public awareness and media engagement are crucial.”

Ramnath acknowledged that while government incentives exist, his long-term vision is to build a self-sustaining ecosystem. “The government can use subsidies for schools, healthcare, and infrastructure,” he said. “Farmers should earn enough to pay taxes and grow without external aid. As long as we depend on subsidies, the economy cannot grow freely.”

Reflecting on the broader goal, he said, “Our dream is not just to feed the world, but to green it. Real progress happens when technology, training, and trust come together-when a farmer looks at another farmer’s success and says, ‘If he can do it, so can I.’ That’s when transformation truly begins.”