'Making Dutch agriculture more sustainable requires tailor-made solutions' (2024)

'Making Dutch agriculture more sustainable requires tailor-made solutions' (1)

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August 27, 2024

After working at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) for more than 40 years, Chris de Visser retired as manager of the Field Crops business unit shortly before the summer. He feels that more tailor-made solutions are needed to create a future perspective for Dutch agriculture while reducing the sector's environmental impact. "WUR should play an even bigger role in this with sound, independent research that has scientific integrity."

Retiring after 41 years almost inevitably involves looking back. However, Chris de Visser is mostly concerned with the current situation in agriculture in these turbulent times.

As research associate and manager of the Field Crops business unit, over the past two decades he experienced the major transition within WUR into a market-oriented organisation. That change was difficult and could have been achieved less hastily, he thinks. But it has resulted in an effective organisation that can do what is important for the farmer.

"Before 2000, we were a task-oriented organisation, run by farmers, and part of the Ministry of Agriculture. There was an expert for each crop: asparagus, sugar beet, potato, onion, carrot, cabbage," says De Visser, who was an onion researcher at the time.

But after privatisation, everything changed. Research became theme-based, with crop protection and fertilisation being the most prominent themes.

"There were no longer specific crop experts. The orders had to come from the market. That took some getting used to, for both researchers and farmers." During this transition, De Visser was initially a business developer at Field Crops, later becoming manager of this business unit. In that capacity, he recognised that there was still a need for specific crop experts. In onions, for example.

Onion research

“The sector missed the onion expert so much that several people took the initiative to put specific onion research back on the agenda. This is possible in a market-oriented organisation, provided it is paid for. That was back in 2018. The entire onion chain now contributes to paying for the research," says De Visser, who, besides his duties as developer and manager, has always continued to lead onion research.

"The chain determines the research topics. In doing so, as with all crops, there is a tendency to focus on acute short-term problems. But we’ve been successful in also considering the longer term," he points out.

Fusarium

The best example is fusarium research. Fusarium is a very troublesome soil disease with many misunderstood aspects. "We can now identify the disease down to the strain level (officially: forma specialis). That’s a breakthrough because it allows us to take a targeted approach to the disease. We can't yet really control Fusarium rot, but we can manage it with crop rotation and targeted weed control. For example, by avoiding certain pre-crops or green manures. This is really a success story," he says.

Energy research

The transition to a market-oriented organisation also presented opportunities that had never previously been considered. A good example is ACRRES, the national centre for applied research on renewable energy and green resources.

"As a manager, I could decide which entrepreneur-oriented solutions I developed. As long as there was funding. In cooperation with the province of Flevoland, we built 12 test windmills, which fund research into the production of sustainable energy and bio-based resources by farmers. That boosted the entire view of energy in agriculture," says De Visser.

Misunderstood policy

According to De Visser, the main challenge for his successor as manager of the business unit is how the Field Crops business unit, together with other parties inside and outside WUR, can contribute to the prospects for agriculture. "These are difficult times and I understand the unrest among farmers. The situation has become pretty complex and there are conflicting interests."

Furthermore, according to De Visser, many things have become incomprehensible. Not only for farmers, but also for him and his research colleagues. "For example, we are allowed to spread less nitrogen on the northern part of our WUR plots than on the southern part, but we don't know why. The Water Board can’t explain it, nor can the province," he says.

“The standards of the Nitrates Directive don’t provide an explanation. The Water Framework Directive does differentiate between plots because of the ecological quality of surface water. But will it really help if we spread less nitrogen on the ground? Doesn't seepage from the Ketelmeer, for example, cause these differences in ecological quality? No one knows. This kind of ambiguity drives farmers to despair."

Demonstrating need for tailor-made solutions

In this context, De Visser sees a clear role for Wageningen University & Research: "WUR could play a much more prominent role in mapping the impact of measures on agriculture. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) was adopted without anyone wondering whether it was agriculturally feasible."

It is already clear that the WFD targets will not be met by 2027. De Visser: "The question is how much can you actually achieve. The Netherlands is a very fertile delta in which a lot of nitrogen mineralises, while the rivers carry all kinds of minerals and silt. The natural ecosystem of the Netherlands is already relatively nitrogen-rich. If you impose a general European standard, you get problems regionally. We need tailor-made solutions and WUR needs to demonstrate this much more clearly. Make sure that it is clear beforehand: if you want this policy, these are the consequences for agriculture."

Research with integrity

It is essential that research is conducted with scientific integrity. Without bias and with due care. "If you have a hypothesis, you tend to select your research objects and your observations based on it. That’s something you need to be aware of, otherwise your interpretation may be wrong. Many researchers want to make the world a better place. They are very passionate. Which is good. But you must keep asking yourself whether you might not be too focused on proving your own hypothesis," he stresses.

De Visser knows of real-life examples where this has gone wrong. Too little critical awareness for the methods of research, too far-reaching statements. Often from a desire to support agriculture. Commitment coloured the view too much.

“So, always remember that you are not working towards a particular outcome. Because you then unintentionally feed the view that 'science is also just an opinion.' This is a challenge in a polarised world. Especially for someone with ideals. No matter how commendable they are."

'Making Dutch agriculture more sustainable requires tailor-made solutions' (2024)

FAQs

What are the Dutch current efforts in sustainable agriculture? ›

They've almost completely eliminated the use of chemical pesticides on plants in greenhouses, and since 2009 Dutch poultry and livestock producers have cut their use of antibiotics by as much as 60 percent. A sea of greenhouses surrounds a farmer's home in the Westland region of the Netherlands.

How did the Dutch improve agriculture? ›

The Dutch have created an intricate system of dikes, canals, and polders to reclaim land from the sea and manage water levels. This constant pursuit of innovative solutions has not only expanded agricultural land but also ensured that the quality of soil remains fertile and productive.

How do farmers in the Netherlands practice sustainable agriculture? ›

Popular initiatives include on-farm cheese making, farm shops, care farms, re-integration of crops and livestock, dual-purpose breeds, improving soil quality, re-introducing herbs in grassland and use of herbal products to prevent and cure cattle diseases.

What techniques do the Dutch use for farming? ›

Precision agriculture is largely applied to tomato crops in greenhouses, increased business in the Netherlands. Using the most high-tech methods, Jasper Oussoren, a Dutch tomato grower uses natural gas conversion into electricity to fulfill greenhouse lighting and warmth to boost plant growth.

What is the Netherlands sustainability problem? ›

Overall, air and surface-water quality is poor, in large part due to intensive farming and traffic congestion. Plastics are seen as a problem, but are dealt with at the municipal level. The renewable energy share is small, consisting mostly of biomass.

What is the Dutch farmer issue? ›

The Dutch farmers' protests (Dutch: boerenprotesten) are a series of demonstrations by Dutch livestock farmers, characterised by the use of tractors to block roads, and occupy public spaces.

Why are the Dutch getting rid of farms? ›

It is part of the Netherlands' drive to drastically slash nitrogen emissions, a major source of which is livestock farms.

Which country is best for sustainable agriculture? ›

The 2021 edition, the index's fourth iteration since 2016, shows that Sweden, Japan, Canada, Finland and Austria have the most sustainable food systems in the world.

What are the innovations of agriculture in the Netherlands? ›

The Dutch have pioneered cell-cultured meat, vertical farming, seed technology and robotics in milking and harvesting — spearheading innovations that focus on decreased water usage as well as reduced carbon and methane emissions.

What is the Netherlands doing to be sustainable? ›

By 2050, Dutch central government wants to reduce the Netherlands' emissions of greenhouse gases (like carbon dioxide (CO2)) to zero. It plans to make 16% of all energy used in the Netherlands sustainable by 2023.

What is Netherlands famous for in agriculture? ›

The Dutch agricultural sector produces mostly cereals (wheat in particular), feed crops (such as fodder maize) and potatoes. The horticultural sector focuses on vegetables and flower bulbs. Dutch greenhouses produce mostly vegetables and flowers like sweet peppers and roses.

What is the most agricultural advanced country in the world? ›

Production: China is the world's largest producer of many agricultural products, including rice, wheat, corn, potatoes, soybeans, cotton, and tobacco.

Why are the Dutch so efficient? ›

Good Transport Makes Things Faster

Excellent public transport and infrastructure make commuting easy. Business goes better and faster when goods are transported easily and quickly. Dutch transport is among the best in the world. The port of Rotterdam has been an important place for hundreds of years.

How did the people of the Netherlands increase their farming industry? ›

After a horrific famine during World War II killed more than 20,000 Dutch, the government heavily invested in its agricultural sector through subsidies, rural infrastructure, and industrialization.

What is the sustainable trade initiative in Dutch? ›

Headquartered in Utrecht, The Netherlands, The IDH (Sustainable Trade Initiative) was established by the Dutch government in 2009 to help improve the sustainability of international supply chains.

What are the agricultural practices in the Netherlands? ›

The Dutch agricultural sector produces mostly cereals (wheat in particular), feed crops (such as fodder maize) and potatoes. The horticultural sector focuses on vegetables and flower bulbs. Dutch greenhouses produce mostly vegetables and flowers like sweet peppers and roses.

What are the Dutch doing about climate change? ›

To combat climate change, the Dutch government wants to reduce the Netherlands' greenhouse gas emissions by 49% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, and a 95% reduction by 2050.

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