Honorary Order of Sikatuna conferred on East-West Seed founder Simon N. Groot

The founder of East-West Seed, Simon N. Groot, has been awarded with the prestigious Order of Sikatuna in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the Philippines and his efforts in fostering, developing, and strengthening relations between various nations and the country. Groot is the first Dutch private citizen to be conferred with this diplomatic honor.

The Order of Sikatuna, one of the Philippines’ most distinguished diplomatic honors, acknowledges Groot's pivotal role in improving the livelihood of millions of smallholder farmers in the country and across more than 60 other tropical countries.

After years of research and development, starting in the Philippines with business partner Benito Domingo, Groot introduced the first locally developed commercial vegetable hybrids in tropical Asia. Under their guidance, East-West Seed has pioneered a dynamic, smallholder-centric tropical vegetable seed industry in the Philippines which continues to expand globally.

This was recognized in 2019 when Groot won the World Food Prize. The same year he obtained an honorary doctorate from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños (UPLB).

Groot is also one of the founding members of the Philippine Netherlands Business Council (PNBC) and continues to serve in its Advisory Council.

“Seeing big smiles on the faces of farmers has given me tremendous satisfaction as I can observe from these smiles that what we have done for them is really of value and meaning,” Groot said.

His visionary approach gave rise to East-West Seed's innovative Knowledge Transfer initiative. East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation trains more than 100,000 farmers annually in best agricultural practices for vegetable production, contributing to the growth and sustainability of local communities in Asia and Africa.

Furthermore, his work has elevated both rural and urban markets for vegetable crops, making nutritious produce more accessible and affordable for countless families in the Philippines and beyond. For millions of people, Simon N. Groot's dedication for more than 40 years has broken the cycle of poverty and malnutrition that often plagues farmers who rely on low quality seeds. Through his leadership, these smallholder farmers have experienced increased yields, improved economic prospects, and better nutrition for their families.

The conferral of the Order of Sikatuna upon Simon N. Groot highlights his extraordinary achievements and unwavering commitment to the Republic of the Philippines and its diplomatic relations with foreign states.

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Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Total Media Connections and Relations, Inc. .