News Soil strategy
6 million euros for sustainable soils
Minister Carola Schouten (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) wants all agricultural land to be managed sustainably by 2030. In 2018, it is therefore making €6 million available for projects that contribute to this.
In this way, Schouten wants to give an impulse to sustainable soil management. The minister will use the money for the 'Agricultural Soils' programme. She also emphasizes the importance of good soil quality and wants agricultural production on the approximately 1,85 million hectares of agricultural land in the Netherlands to be maintained.
Lease Policy
Schouten mentions 4 points that will be addressed in the new soil strategy. One of those points is policy that also affects other policy themes; the lease policy is also important for sustainable soil management. This will be an important starting point in the review of the tenancy system† The minister will consider how this principle can also be applied in the policy of the Central Government Real Estate Agency.
Schouten also calls the subject 'knowledge'. The Minister of Agriculture wants to invest in knowledge through the 'Sustainable Soils' innovation programme. In concrete terms, a project will start in the coming year where advisors will be trained to guide farmers with sustainable soil management.
Chain contributes
The third part is 'the chain'. Schouten wants the social services for sustainable soil management to be valued by society as well. In addition, she wants this sustainable soil management to be supported not only from policy, but also from the chain and the market.
The last point in Minister Schouten's soil strategy is 'regional water management'. There will be an area-specific approach aimed at combating subsidence, reducing CO2 emissions and exploring wet cultivation systems.
High land prices
Switching to a sustainable way of cultivating soil is difficult, Schouten also acknowledges. She sees that the importance in the short term often outweighs the importance of good soil quality in the long term. She mentions in the letter to parliament that the high land prices, through scarce agricultural land and tight margins on the products, promotes short-term thinking.
Common Agricultural Policy
Soil also remains an important theme in the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Good soil management can contribute to the Paris Climate Agreement, says the minister. For example, by sequestering carbon in the soil.
View the entire letter to parliament here.
Anne-Jan Doorn
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