BIO had the pleasure of bringing together, alongside FIT, AWEX, hub.brussels and Beyond Chocolate, a wide range of actors from the Belgian agri‑food sector for an exchange focused on international opportunities. The late‑afternoon event was marked by collaboration, curiosity, and the shared ambition to build stronger, more sustainable, and better‑connected global value chains.
Europe’s Vision: The Global Gateway Ambition
Bart Casier, from the European Commission, further illuminated this dynamic by highlighting the ambition of the Global Gateway: a Europe that goes beyond the role of donor to engage in genuine investment partnerships with Africa, Latin America and Asia. An approach built on cooperation, shared value creation, and next‑generation financing instruments that open markets, strengthen infrastructure and support high‑impact projects.
BIO’s Contribution: Financing, Partnerships and Local Impact
BIO then shared its vision and its role within this ecosystem. Through the presentation of Marie Watelet, the focus was placed on concrete ways of collaborating with Belgian companies: supporting local actors essential to supply chains, financing projects rooted in their territory, and co‑building solutions with Belgian companies whenever there is a relevant economic, social, or strategic link. The objective has remained the same from the beginning: helping companies grow where access to capital is limited, while generating lasting value for local communities.
Practical Inspiration: IDH Invest and the Power of Blended Finance
The testimony of Roel Messie, CEO of IDH Invest, offered a very concrete illustration of what innovative mechanisms such as the Farmfit Fund can achieve—from strengthening the capacity of agribusinesses to improving the incomes of hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers. A demonstration that when investment and technical assistance advance hand in hand, the transformation of entire sectors becomes possible.
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