Rabobank has always had close ties to the food and agri sector. Various local Rabobanks have
taken the initiative to bring businesses together. One of these is Rabobank De Zuidelijke
Baronie, which is a sponsor of theTreeport initiative together with tree growers, the province
of North Brabant, Zundert municipality and other stakeholders. Businesses can invest in this
initiative by buying units of participation, and the local Rabobank doubles this investment for
businesses that are also members. Rabobank Westland continued its sustainability efforts in
the horticulture sector through an initiative that enables market gardeners to make innovations
in the chain, in the market and in market development. However, the connecting role played
by the food and agri sector is not restricted to rural communities. Under the title 'Voedsel
Verbindt Amsterdam' (Food Connects Amsterdam), Rabobank Amsterdam launched a series of
collaborative initiatives, including the Food Film Festival with the Youth Food Movement, to
increase the connection that residents of Amsterdam have with the provenance, healthiness
and sustainability of their food, and to get food to act as a carrier for urban vitality.
Rabobank Foundation
Rabobank Foundation provides support to disadvantaged people to help them achieve their
ambitions, financial or otherwise, with the objective of promoting social and economic
participation. The fund is made up of contributions from local Rabobanks and is supplemented
by Rabobank Group. In 2011, more than EUR 23 million was awarded to 176 projects in the
Netherlands and other countries.The projects can be divided into support for vulnerable and
underprivileged groups in the Netherlands (approximately 13% of the total amount) and
support for foreign savings and loans cooperatives (approximately 87% of the total amount).
In the Netherlands, the connecting theme is social inclusion. Rabobank Foundation wants to help
build a society in which everyone is able to participate. Examples of groups who receive support
are people with a mental or physical disability, people suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and
people who are unable to read or write. Rabobank also supports Emma at Work, a non-profit
employment agency for young people with a chronic disease or other physical disability.
In 2011, support totalling EUR 3 million was provided to 43 projects in the Netherlands.
Outside the Netherlands, Rabobank Foundation focuses on financial inclusion and economic
development. It uses Rabobank Group's expertise in the areas of banking, cooperatives and
the food and agri sector to help people in 25 selected developing countries, concentrating on
economic development. Rabobank Foundation provides support in the form of microfinance,
donations, advice (technical assistance), trade finance or guarantees to help people to organise
themselves in cooperatives. The guiding principle for cooperatives is that together we stand,
and this also applies to Rabobank Foundation.
In 2011Rabobank Foundation approved 133 applications received from abroad, and provided
support worth EUR 20 million. One compelling example of the way in which Rabobank
Foundation provides support abroad concerns the Rabobank's joint venture with Cordaid for
providing loans to producers' organisations in developing countries. Rabo Rural Fund, which
was set up for this specific purpose in 2011has over EUR 10 million in hand. The fund was
created for organisations and cooperatives in the agricultural sector that are too small to
obtain finance from commercial banks but too large to obtain microfinance. The fund brings
together the experience gained by both Rabobank and Cordaid in capacity building at farmers'
organisations with a view to combating poverty and providing access to financial and export
markets in developing countries.
Project Fund supports range of innovative projects
A number of innovative initiatives related to food and agribusiness, SMEs and social issues were
launched with support from the Rabobank Project Fund in 2011. These initiatives included the
development of a working conditions quality mark in the agriculture and horticulture sectors,
a business joint venture on a cooperative basis for product development in the hospitality and
leisure sector in the Zeeland and South West Brabant regions of the Netherlands, a cooperative
wind energy business model for private individuals, and a pilot project aimed at sustainably
encouraging enterprise in education. Several local Rabobanks are involved in these projects.
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Annual Report 2011 Rabobank Group