Many farms in the Netherlands, a historical Dutch agriculture powerhouse in the world, have been run by the same family for many generations. With a population of about 17.5 million, it is the largest meat exporter in Europe and the second-largest exporter of agricultural products worldwide, behind the United States. Additionally, the nation leads the world in agricultural technology. It has long pushed farmers to grow and make technological investments, contributing to some of the debt they face today.
Dutch Agriculture Crisis
The drawbacks of its intensive farming practices have been more apparent in recent years. For example, the nation, the size of the U.S. state of West Virginia, has Europe’s highest nitrogen emissions rate, primarily because of its vast amount of livestock.
As per the environmental organization Milieu Centraal, the Netherlands emits four times the average amount of emissions per acre in Europe. According to Statistics Netherlands, the nation released 177,000 metric tons of different nitrogen oxides (primarily from traffic and industry) and 124,000 metric tons of ammonia, a hazardous nitrogen emission from fertilizers and livestock dung, in 2020. Trees and plants take up nitrogen, but not in such large amounts. There is a great deal of turmoil in the Dutch agriculture sector. With the densest population of livestock worldwide and the status of the second largest agri-exporter in the world, the nation significantly influences the quality of the surrounding soil, water, and air, as well as biodiversity.
According to some Dutch government officials, the industry needs to drastically cut back on the number of cattle to lower atmospheric ammonia levels and nitrogen deposition. As a result, there have been continuous protests and rallies against farming in The Hague.
By 2030, the government wants to cut nitrogen emissions by 50%; however, some parts of the nation will need to cut emissions more than others. For example, farms close to certain nature reserves will have to cut emissions by 70%. As per the nationwide initiative to curb nitrogen emissions, specific farms will undergo sustainable modifications, while others may have to be forcibly relocated or acquired.
In order to achieve this, some Dutch agricultural researchers are turning to agroecology and agroforestry as climate and environmental solutions that consider the needs and livelihoods of local populations. Even though agroforestry is a long-standing and widely accepted technique worldwide, it is still relatively new in the Netherlands. It has received little attention as a potential solution to the farming dilemma thus far. In reality, most farmers in the highly industrialized Dutch farming environment despise the technique and question whether it would ever provide them with a living.
Dutch Agriculture Challenges in the Netherlands,
The European economy is resilient to changes that impact agriculture, with agriculture making up a very modest portion of GDP (gross domestic product). But in terms of area used (farmland and forest land make up around 90% of the EU’s land surface), rural population, and income, agriculture is significantly more significant.
Dutch Farming Sustainability
Four Techniques for Sustainable Agriculture
- Accurate farming practices. The Netherlands’ use of technology is one of the main reasons it has emerged as a pioneer in sustainable agriculture. Precision agriculture is a farming method that maximizes agricultural yield by utilizing technology. Farmers that use precision agriculture can minimize their environmental effects while increasing productivity and cutting waste.
- Farming inside. Crops are grown indoors in controlled environments like greenhouses or vertical farms. In addition to using less space and water to produce crops, indoor farming can also reduce the quantity of pesticides and other chemicals used. The Washington Post reports that crops are grown in greenhouses on about 24,000 acres in the Netherlands.
- Put Integrated Pest Management into Practice. The Netherlands also leads the way in applying integrated pest management (IPM) techniques. IPM is an approach to pest management that uses natural strategies, including habitat modification and biological controls, to lessen the need for chemicals. IPM can help farmers sustain crop production while reducing environmental impact.
- Sustainable Animal agriculture. Leading the way in advocating for sustainable animal husbandry is the Netherlands. In addition to being one of the world’s top exporters of dairy and meat products, the nation is leading the charge in initiatives to lessen the adverse environmental effects of livestock farming. For instance, a lot of farmers in the Netherlands turn animal manure into biogas—a renewable energy source—using anaerobic digesters.
