'Concentrating agriculture on the best soils'

Dutch agriculture must be concentrated on the best agricultural land in the Netherlands. This is what former agriculture minister Cees Veerman and chair of Wageningen University (WUR) Louise Fresco advocate. With the idea of ​​an agricultural main structure, they are in favor of policies that are the opposite of current government policies.

The idea, advocated in the Financieele Dagblad, is that the Dutch government should concentrate agriculture in contiguous areas. In those areas, farmers are given priority over nature conservation and housing. The concatenated area refers to the most fertile clay and loam soils in a strip of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and West-Brabant and the rich grasslands in the west via the Flevopolders to Friesland and Groningen.

Same production with less land
The leaders are based on statements by Wageningen professor Rudy Rabbinge. According to him, his plan is the best solution for, among other things, the nitrogen problem. “Good agriculture in the right place can produce as much with half the current acreage as it does now. And that only requires 20% of the current input of pesticides and fertilizers," says Rabbinge the FD.

In addition, the idea of ​​an agricultural main structure would bring other advantages, according to him. He argues, for example, that it will make agriculture more vital, that significant environmental benefits will be achieved and that there will be more space for purposes such as nature and housing.

Prevent further unrest
The professor is currently on the Nitrogen Problems advisory committee, which is working on the nitrogen issue under the leadership of Johan Remkers. Fresco and Veerman believe that Rabbinge's plan for an agricultural main structure is the only way to prevent further unrest in the agricultural sector. It has already been suggested before that the RVOB can play a role by relocating companies from the Natura 2000 areas to Flevoland.

The professor's plan is very similar to, for example the vision of science journalist Hidde Boersma† The ecomodernism he proposes argues that the agricultural sector should not become more nature-inclusive, but rather more intensive. This leaves more room for nature. Also, the plan that Fresco and Veerman are now coming up with is completely opposite to the policy of the current government. Agriculture and nature are intertwined as much as possible in this.

Anne-Jan Doorn

Anne Jan Doorn is an arable expert at Boerenbusiness. He writes about the various arable farming markets and also focuses on the land and energy market.

aj.doorn@boerenbusiness. Nl

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