President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. conferred the Order of the Sikatuna, with the Rank of Officer (Maginoo), on Mr. Simon Groot, the Founder and Honorary Chairman of the East-West Seed, one of the world’s biggest tropical seed companies which was founded in the Philippines.
The citation of the award stated that it was conferred on Mr. Groot “in recognition of his important contributions in broadening and strengthening relations between the Philippines and the Netherlands; for his steadfast efforts in promoting PH-NL economic cooperation through the creation of opportunities for Filipinos; and for his outstanding contributions in the field of agriculture and for dedication in his mission to break the vicious cycle of poverty and help Filipino farmers prosper through diversification into high value crops.”
The special award was presented to Mr. Groot by Philippine Ambassador to The Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya, on behalf of President Marcos, on 4 October at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Embassy in The Hague on the occasion of the Annual Meeting of Philippines-Netherlands Business Council (PNBC).
The PNBC is headed by former Netherlands Ambassador to the Philippines Saskia De Lang.
In his acceptance speech, Mr. Groot said, “This recognition is very close to my heart because I have grown to be a close friend of the Philippines. But the mission is not done yet. We need to create more opportunities for farmers, including the young generation, and develop better seeds.”
Through Mr. Groot’s vision and innovative leadership, EWS had its first research and breeding program in the Philippines in 1982 in partnership with Filipino seed trader Benito M. Domingo and with the support of Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam.
It started in a 5-hectare farm in Lipa, Batangas where they produce high-yielding varieties of local crops which are resistant to diseases.
A team of breeders from the Netherlands’ Wageningen University and the University of the Philippines Los Banos started hybrid vegetable varieties.
The East-West Seed expanded from the Philippines and Southeast Asia to India, China, Africa and South America and now has over 3,500 employees worldwide and with global headquarters in Enkhuizen (The Netherlands) and Bangkok.
It has 10 seed processing facilities in seven countries and 18 research and development (R&D) centers in six countries, including three in the Philippines.
The R&D centers in the Philippines are in Bukidnon, San Juan (Batangas) and Lipa (also in Batangas), where its first ever experimental farm, the Hortanova farm, is located (https://www.eastwestseed.com/).
During the conferment ceremony, Ambassador Malaya delivered remarks recalling Mr. Groot’s visit to The Hague in February 2022, where Mr. Groot acknowledged the Philippines and his Filipino collaborators for the early success and phenomenal growth of East-West Seed.
He said, “I am the greatest fan of the Philippines in Holland; if there is any need for support, I am happy to help.”
“The Philippines is well pleased that the greatest Dutch fan of the Philippines, who has dedicated his life to raising the productivity and incomes of farmers in the country and beyond, ensuring that Filipinos and other peoples have nutritious and affordable vegetables every day on their tables, is receiving this high honor,” the Ambassador added.
The Sikatuna award was endorsed to the Office of the President by the Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo and Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban.
Mr. Groot is among the few European private individuals to be conferred with this diplomatic decoration and the first Dutch private citizen to be accorded.
He is also a recipient of the World Food Prize Laureate in 2019 awarded by the World Food Prize Foundation in the Iowa State Capitol, the equivalent of the “Nobel Prize” in the field of agriculture.
Mr. Groot was accompanied by Ms. Maaike Groot, former Chairperson and now Member of the Board of the PNBC, and Mr. Rutger Groot during the conferment.
The Order of Sikatuna is an esteemed order of diplomatic merit awarded to individuals who have rendered exceptional and meritorious services to the Republic of the Philippines or who have significantly contributed to fostering stronger relations between their country and the Philippines.
