Grietje Raaphorst-Travaille

With several decades of experience as a plant breeder, Grietje is a pioneer in the development of organic seeds adapted to local contexts. Together with her husband, she founded Nordic Maize Breeding over 20 years ago—a company that, for many years, was the only one in the Netherlands producing organic maize seeds developed from their own varieties.
In addition to her well-known work on short-season maize —specially adapted to northern climates— Nordic Maize has also developed winter pea varieties, designed for mixed cropping with winter cereals. This approach enables farmers to diversify their animals’ diets throughout the year while also improving soil fertility and health.
On a smaller scale, Nordic Maize varieties are also grown in the Netherlands for human consumption, supporting a more local, diverse and sustainable food system.
As a representative of Toekomstboeren, the Dutch organization of the agroecological movement, Grietje passionately advocates for freedom in plant breeding, seed sovereignty, and agricultural diversity. For her, living agroecology is the path to feeding the world — and oneself.