Food Valley Ambassador from Mexico
Name: Denisse Hernández Martínez (female)
Nationality: Mexican
Year of birth: 1983
Education and work experience:
• MSc in Food Safety, Wageningen UR
• Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks-COPRISEH, under the aegis of the Ministry of Health of Hidalgo State (2007-2008)
• BSc Food Engineering (2001-2006)
Contacts in home country:
• Some insight regarding the dairy industry in Central Mexico.
• Contacts in some governmental institutions in Hidalgo State.
Knowledge of languages:
Spanish (mother tongue), English (fluent), French (basic)
Main challenges to Mexico and opportunities for Dutch food companies:
International Commerce
Currently, Mexico’s main export market is the US. However I think there is great potential for diversifying our export base and creating new products for export to other countries.
We have a long way to go before we can produce products that are easily exportable to the EU. Right now, only a handful of Mexican companies are able to comply with EU food regulations. The majority are just not ready to take this hurdle yet.
However, I think the time may now be right to start increasing and strengthening the relationship with Dutch companies. With the right connections, Mexican companies could be a good source of raw materials for Dutch companies. This is also a good opportunity to establish ties with Dutch research centers, which may lead to commercial ties later on. Many of the Mexican manufacturers are not in a position to make a huge R&D investment on their own, but there are Mexican incentive programs that might provide funds for this purpose.
Research and Development
Mexico offers a wealth of opportunities for R&D. Many of the food manufacturers are SMEs, unable to afford the investments necessary to run their own R&D department. However, our society is starting to demand more diversity in food products, so there are opportunities for knowledge transfer at every level in the food supply chain. Although the size of the companies often restricts the size of the investments, there may be some agency or government ministry-based incentive programs that could help push the initiative forward.
Nutrition
Because of the increased obesity index in Mexico, legislators have been looking for strategies to fight this growing problem. Although we need a holistic approach, I think many companies are likely to be interested in strategies for producing healthier foodstuffs.
Sustainability and self-sufficiency
Another ‘hot topic’ in Mexico is the loss of self-sufficiency in basic seed and crop production. There is great interest in trying to recover production.
Personal note:
By the time I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Food Engineering, I was already planning to do a Master’s, but continuing I wanted to experience working in my chosen field, just to see what was out there. In 2007, I had the chance to work for the Ministry of Health in Hidalgo State. While working for the Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (COPRISEH), I realized that Mexico has long way to go in terms of food safety. Although many people are active in the field, there seems to be no integral approach. Some measures have been taken, but tangible results are lacking. I saw that willingness to change the current reality is simply not enough. It takes highly-trained and skilled employees to effectuate real change. That’s when I started to look into a Master’s in Food Safety. The idea of studying abroad appealed to me in two ways. The first was the opportunity to learn how food safety is approached in other countries. The second was the challenge of moving out of my comfort zone to discover and develop different strengths, which I believe is an essential skill in today’s competitive, globalized world. Finally, I found what I was looking for at WUR.
My experience in the Netherlands has surpassed my expectations. This country has so much to offer international students, so many opportunities, and the Food Valley Ambassador Program is one of them. For me, the FVAP was a chance to gain international experience, particularly because of the one-year internship program. You can get so much more out of it than a short internship, simply because you can get involved in broader, longer-term projects. The FVAP structure also gives you a chance to develop your personal skills, to broaden your network, and to experience the reality of working in the Netherlands. I want to help Dutch businesses understand Mexican business. I would enjoy the opportunity to help bolster the relationship between Mexican and Dutch food companies, because both sides could benefit from such ties. After a year in this country, I really want to encourage other Mexican students to come here and experience what I’m experiencing. It’s great to be here.