Agriculture in Flanders

Last updated
Greenhouses for grapes in Flemish Brabant Greenhouses for Grapes.jpg
Greenhouses for grapes in Flemish Brabant
Harvest of sugar beets in Tienen Franz Kleine RL 350 V Tienen 20081014.jpg
Harvest of sugar beets in Tienen

Agriculture and horticulture in Flanders has traditionally a familial character, but just like agriculture in other regions, is increasingly characterised by an increase in scale, modernisation and expansion. In Flanders, intensive sectors constitute the largest segment of agriculture: pig breeding, poultry and dairy farming, vegetables and fruit, ornamental plant culture. In Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium, the emphasis is more on arable farming and extensive soil-based cattle breeding.

Contents

Structural aspects

In 2013, there were 24 884 agricultural businesses in Flanders. Over the last ten years, the number has declined by 30%. That is a decrease of almost 4% per year. At the same time there was a continual increase in scale. In comparison to 2004, the average arable area per business has increased by 40% to 25 hectare. The livestock population per business is increasing, too. Nowadays an average cattle business counts 119 animals, a pig business 1 848 and a poultry business 47 092. Over the last ten years, the total arable area has remained relatively stable (-1.7%). 46% of the Flemish arable area, or 622.738 ha, is utilised for agriculture and horticulture. Meadows, pasturelands and fodder crops account for 56% of the total area. The arable surface is 36% owned, the rest is on lease.

The agriculture is characterized by a strong degree of specialization. Almost nine out of ten companies specialize in one of three subsectors. 54% of the companies have a specialization in cattle breeding, 21% in arable crops and 13% in horticulture.

In 2013, organic farming utilised a cultivated area of 5 065 ha in Flanders, 0.8% of the total arable area. The number of organic farms amounts to 319 units. Over the last years, the cultivated area and the number of holdings has steadily increased, in part under the impulse of the Strategic Action Plan for Organic Agriculture, from which the second programme is running from 2013 to 2017.

Economic importance

In 2013, the final production value of the Flemish agricultural and horticultural sectors’ sales activity was estimated at 5.5 billion euros. Of the total production value, livestock is good for 65%, horticulture 26% and arable farming 9%. The five most important agricultural products are pork (1.46 billion euros), dairy products (844 million euros), beef (712 million euros), vegetables (602 million euros) and ornamental horticulture products (512 million euros).

In 2013, 51 583 people were regularly employed in agriculture and horticulture. Because there are great many non-regular employees working in agriculture, such as seasonal workers and contractors, we count that figure among the full-time workers. Flemish agriculture and horticulture employs 41,141 full-time workers, or on average 1.65 per business. 34% of the full-time workers work in livestock businesses (dairy, pork, beef and poultry) 32% in horticultural businesses, 13% in arable crops businesses and 19% in mixed businesses.

In 2012, the gross value added of the primary sector (including forestry and fishery) had a 0.9% share in the total Flemish gross value added. In the European Union the average share is 1.7%.

In 2013, the total Belgian trade in agricultural products recorded a positive trade balance. Export is good for 39.4 billion euros, while import amounts to 34.5 billion euros. Some important export products are chocolate products (2.1 billion euros), potato preparations and pork (each 1.4 billion), beer and frozen vegetables (each 1.1 billion). Belgium has an 8% share of total agricultural exports from the EU-28 and thus holds the fifth place in the EU ranking, after Germany, the Netherlands, France and Spain. Flanders takes in account 80% of the Belgian agricultural exports.

Regional distribution

The importance of the agricultural sector in Flanders depends on the region. Aclassification of municipalities with similar agricultural activity shows the typical regions: fruit around Sint-Truiden and vegetables around Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Roeselare and Hoogstraten. Ornamental horticulture is practiced around Ghent. Pig breeding makes its home in West Flanders, Meetjesland, Waasland and the Campine. Dairy cattle is important in the Flemish Ardennes and Pajottenland, and in combination with breeding in the Campine. Cattle are primarily found in the region around Bruges, the southern parts of West and East Flanders and in combination with arable farming in Flemish Brabant and South Limburg.

The explanation for this variation is found in history and in factors of soil physics. Breeding farms have installed themselves in the immediate vicinity of the mixed feed industry and the slaughterhouses. Vegetable and fruit cultivation is concentrated around the auction and its derivative industry. Arable farming primarily occurs on rich soils and cattle breeding on poorer soils.

Agriculture and environment

To get an idea of the eco-efficiency of Flemish agriculture we compare pressure indicators to an economic indicator. In the period 2007-2012 the final production remains more or less stable, while the environmental indicators evolve. As to the emission of very fine particles, the phosphorus fertilizer use and the pressure by chemical pesticides, the eco-efficiency improves thanks to the manure policy, rising fertilizer prices and the switch to natural gas in horticulture. In contrast, the increasing livestock from 2008 and the increasing number of cogeneration plants (combined heat and power) in greenhouses are the main reasons that there is no decrease in energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and potential acidifying emissions.

In 2012, the net primary energy use by the agricultural sector amounts to 24 916 TJ. Greenhouse horticulture remains with 46% the largest energy user. The share of natural gas increased from 21% in 2007 to 58% in 2012 while the share of oil in that period drops to 35%. Heavy fuel oil is completely faded away, from 21% to 2%. Since 2010, the Flemish agricultural sector is a net producer of electricity. The excess of self-produced electricity from its own cogeneration or solar panels is in practice put back on the net and is not necessarily used by the agricultural sector.

The share of agriculture in the total Flemish greenhouse gas emissions is 10% in 2011. The relatively large share of agriculture is due to the fact that 53% of nitrous oxide emissions and 76% of methane emissions come from agriculture. Both gases have a much bigger greenhouse effect than carbon dioxide. In 2011, total emissions of greenhouse gases from agriculture amounted to 8 636 kt CO2 equivalents, a decrease of 19% compared to 1990. However, since 2008 the emissions increased again by 3.5%. Methane emissions are primarily derived from digestion processes from livestock farming. Nitrous oxide emission is largely directly from the soil.

The exact contribution of Flemish agricultural emissions to total air PM concentrations and to negative health effects is not well known. [1]

Agricultural policy

The agricultural and food sector is through various complex interactions connected with the rest of the economy. Further globalization profoundly affects the sector. Other international developments affect agriculture in Flanders, too: the growing world population, climate change, the depletion of fossil fuels and non-renewable raw materials, price fluctuations of food products, the policy concerning genetically modified organisms. In the future, the agricultural sector will also be confronted with an increasing liberalisation of world trade and globalisation of food chains.

The reformed Common Agricultural Policy for the period 2014-2020 is strongly linked to the overall Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The CAP is aiming for increased competitiveness, improved sustainability and increased efficiency. The aid will be distributed differently between and within EU Member States. Direct aid will be 'greener' by introducing three mandatory greening practices. The importance of rural development increases.

In 2013, Flemish farmers received 258.8 million euros in direct support. Entitlement rights were good for 228.2 million euros of this amount, and the suckler cow premium for 27.3 million euros. With 23%, dairy farming had in the period 2007-2012 the greatest share of direct support. A significant part goes to beef cattle farming and arable crops. The business types pigs and horticulture traditionally receive little or no direct support. For the overall agricultural and horticultural sector, the share of direct support in the farm income is on average 24%.

In 2013, there were 115.2 million euros in government subsidies for the Rural Development Programme in Flanders. In the period 2007-2013, 67% of the budget went to the improvement of competitiveness (mainly investments in farms), 20% to the improvement of the environment (especially agri-environmental measures such as water management agreements) and 9% to the quality of life in rural areas. The sectors pigs and poultry, dairy and horticulture received most Pillar 2 support.

Social aspects

The Boerenbond is the major representative farmers' union in Flanders.

The average age of operators of professional agricultural businesses has risen in recent years from 48 years in 2004 to 52 years in 2013. 11% of the farmers are women. Female farmers are on average one and a half years older than the male. Increasing age is associated with the small number of young farmers. In 2013, only 5% of the farmers were under 35 years old, both male and female farmers. The proportion of over-65s is significantly higher: 11% of men and 17% of women. The major part of the operators is between 50 and 55 years. Ten years ago it was between 40 and 45 years.

A survey conducted in 2012 among the participants of the Farm Accountancy Data Network showed that the average satisfaction of the farmers is 6.5 out of ten. 64% of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied, 25% are moderately satisfied and 11% dissatisfied. A relatively higher satisfaction prevails in the arable sector. In the pig sector, respondents appeared relatively less satisfied. A sore point is stress, because 52% of respondents are complaining about high to very high stress. The average income satisfaction is also only 4.5 out of ten.

Some farm families are facing serious financial difficulties or mental health and relationship problems. The number of farmers in distress who come to the association Farmers at a Crossroads (Boeren op een Kruispunt) is hovering around 200 applicants each year.

Innovation

Innovation is of great importance for the economic development of agriculture and horticulture in Flanders. Innovation helps to maintain competitiveness, but can also meet global challenges such as feeding the growing world population, the supply of adequate fiber, biomass and bio-materials and the limited availability of natural resources.

A survey carried out in 2014 among the LMN farmers shows that 43% of the businesses carried through an innovation on the farm in the past two years. This percentage is highest in the horticultural sector (52%) and lowest in cattle (35%). In horticulture, ornamental plants sector has with 62% the highest proportion of innovative businesses.

The results show that process innovations are most prevalent. More than half of the companies mainly invests in machinery and infrastructure such as sheds and greenhouses, followed by innovations in marketing, such as the switch to another distribution channel or the start with various forms of short-chain sales. In third place come organizational innovations, such as the recruitment of additional workers, the takeover by a new manager and the adaptation of the legal structure.

Agriculture within the agro-business complex

The agricultural sector does not stand alone, but is a part of a much broader agro-business complex. Alongside the agricultural and horticultural sectors, an important role is also played by agricultural suppliers, the food industry and distribution. The trend is that a decreasing number of businesses generate an increasing turnover and value added. According to the latest figures, the Flemish agro-business complex counts 35 471 businesses, achieves a turnover of 61 billion euro and a value added of 8.4 billion euro, and employs 159 104 people. The food industry is the largest employer and is responsible for the largest share of turnover and net added value.

A major problem for agriculture is the price-making The farmer is faced with rising commodity prices which makes production more expensive. Input prices, costs for energy, feed and machinery, exhibit both in Belgium and the EU on an upward trend. On the revenue side, there is more volatile and lower selling prices. That price volatility is partly due to the reduction of the market support at European level, making farms to become more sensitive to developments in the global market. On the other hand, the primary sector must withstand consolidated chain links such as processing and distribution. Their power is magnified by scale and concentration.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture</span> Cultivation of plants and animals to provide useful products

Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to live in cities. The history of agriculture began thousands of years ago. After gathering wild grains beginning at least 105,000 years ago, nascent farmers began to plant them around 11,500 years ago. Pigs, sheep, and cattle were domesticated over 10,000 years ago. Plants were independently cultivated in at least 11 regions of the world. Industrial agriculture based on large-scale monoculture in the twentieth century came to dominate agricultural output, though about 2 billion people still depended on subsistence agriculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Belgium</span> National economy

The economy of Belgium is a modern, capitalist economy that has capitalised on the country's central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Belgium was the first country to undergo an Industrial Revolution on the continent of Europe in the early 19th century. It has since developed an excellent transportation infrastructure of ports, canals, railways, and highways, in order to integrate its industry with that of its neighbours.

Agricultural policy Laws relating to domestic agriculture and foreign-imported agricultural products

Agricultural policy describes a set of laws relating to domestic agriculture and imports of foreign agricultural products. Governments usually implement agricultural policies with the goal of achieving a specific outcome in the domestic agricultural product markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flemish Movement</span> Regionalist movement in Flanders, Belgium

The Flemish Movement is an umbrella term which encompasses various political groups in the Belgian region of Flanders and, less commonly, in French Flanders. Ideologically, it encompasses groups which have sought to promote Flemish culture and Dutch language as well as those who have sought greater political autonomy for Flanders within Belgium. It also encompasses nationalists who have sought the secession of Flanders from Belgium, either through outright independence or unification with the Netherlands.

Flemish Parliament Elected legislative body of Flanders

The Flemish Parliament constitutes the legislative power in Flanders for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and as a cultural community of Belgium.

Flemish Region Region of Belgium

The Flemish Region, usually simply referred to as Flanders, is one of the three regions of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. It occupies the northern part of Belgium and covers an area of 13,625 km2 (5,261 sq mi). It is one of the most densely populated regions of Europe with around 490/km2 (1,300/sq mi).

Flemish Community Institutional community of Belgium

The Flemish Community is one of the three institutional communities of Belgium, established by the Belgian constitution and having legal responsibilities only within the precise geographical boundaries of the Dutch-language area and of the bilingual area of Brussels-Capital. Unlike in the French Community of Belgium, the competences of the Flemish Community have been unified with those of the Flemish Region and are exercised by one directly elected Flemish Parliament based in Brussels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flemish Government</span>

The Flemish Government is the executive branch of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region of Belgium. It consists of a government cabinet, headed by the Minister-President and accountable to the Flemish Parliament, and the public administration divided into 13 policy areas, each with an executive department and multiple agencies.

Flemish Diamond

The Flemish Diamond is the Flemish reference to a network of four metropolitan areas in Belgium, three of which are in the central provinces of Flanders, together with the Brussels Capital Region. It consists of four agglomerations which form the four corners of an abstract diamond shape: Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp and Leuven. Over five million people live in this area, with a population density of about 600 per square kilometre in 2002.

Pastoral farming Method for producing livestock

Pastoral farming is aimed at producing livestock, rather than growing crops. Examples include dairy farming, raising beef cattle, and raising sheep for wool. In contrast, arable farming concentrates on crops rather than livestock. Finally, mixed farming incorporates livestock and crops on a single farm. Some mixed farmers grow crops purely as fodder for their livestock; some crop farmers grow fodder and sell it. In some cases pastoral farmers are known as graziers, and in some cases pastoralists. Pastoral farming is a non-nomadic form of pastoralism in which the livestock farmer has some form of ownership of the land used, giving the farmer more economic incentive to improve the land. Unlike other pastoral systems, pastoral farmers are sedentary and do not change locations in search of fresh resources. Rather, pastoral farmers adjust their pastures to fit the needs of their animals. Improvements include drainage, stock tanks, irrigation and sowing clover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in India</span> History of agriculture in India

The history of agriculture in India dates back to the neolothic. India ranks second worldwide in farm outputs. As per 2018, agriculture employed more than 50% of the Indian work force and contributed 17–18% to country's GDP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality</span> Dutch Cabinet-level agriculture and natural resources agency

The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality is the Dutch Ministry responsible for agricultural policy, food policy, food safety, fisheries, forestry, natural conservation and animal welfare. The Ministry was created in 1935 and in 2010 the department was merged with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and was named the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. The Ministry was reinstated in 2017; it is headed by the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, a member of the Cabinet of the Netherlands. The last official Minister was Henk Staghouwer he quit his job as Minister on September 5, 2022. Because he felt he didn't fit the job. Currently Carola Schouten is acting Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. She does this alongside her other Minister job.

Francization of Brussels Post-1700s shift from Dutch to French in the Belgian capital

The Francization of Brussels refers to the evolution, over the past two centuries, of this historically Dutch-speaking city into one where French has become the majority language and lingua franca. The main cause of this transition was the rapid, yet compulsory assimilation of the Flemish population, amplified by immigration from France and Wallonia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in New Zealand</span> Overview of agriculture in New Zealand

In New Zealand, agriculture is the largest sector of the tradable economy. The country exported NZ$46.4 billion worth of agricultural products in the 12 months to June 2019, 79.6% of the country's total exported goods. The agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector directly contributed $12.653 billion of the national GDP in the 12 months to September 2020, and employed 143,000 people, 5.9% of New Zealand's workforce, as of the 2018 census.

The environmental impact of agriculture is the effect that different farming practices have on the ecosystems around them, and how those effects can be traced back to those practices. The environmental impact of agriculture varies widely based on practices employed by farmers and by the scale of practice. Farming communities that try to reduce environmental impacts through modifying their practices will adopt sustainable agriculture practices. The negative impact of agriculture is an old issue that remains a concern even as experts design innovative means to reduce destruction and enhance eco-efficiency. Though some pastoralism is environmentally positive, modern animal agriculture practices tend to be more environmentally destructive than agricultural practices focused on fruits, vegetables and other biomass. The emissions of ammonia from cattle waste continue to raise concerns over environmental pollution.

Soil management is the application of operations, practices, and treatments to protect soil and enhance its performance. It includes soil conservation, soil amendment, and optimal soil health. In agriculture, some amount of soil management is needed both in nonorganic and organic types to prevent agricultural land from becoming poorly productive over decades. Organic farming in particular emphasizes optimal soil management, because it uses soil health as the exclusive or nearly exclusive source of its fertilization and pest control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flemish people</span> Germanic ethnic group native to Flanders, Belgium

The Flemish or Flemings are a Germanic ethnic group native to Flanders, Belgium, who speak Flemish Dutch. Flemish people make up the majority of Belgians, at about 60%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agriculture in Wales</span> Cultivation of plants and animals in Wales

Agriculture in Wales has in the past been a major part of the economy of Wales, a largely rural country that forms part of the United Kingdom. Wales is mountainous and has a mild, wet climate. This results in only a small proportion of the land area being suitable for arable cropping, but grass for the grazing of livestock is present in abundance. As a proportion of the national economy, the importance of agriculture has become much reduced; a high proportion of the population now live in the towns and cities in the south of the country and tourism has become an important form of income in the countryside and on the coast. Arable cropping is limited to the flatter parts and elsewhere dairying and livestock farming predominate.

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an integrated approach to managing landscapes to help adapt agricultural methods, livestock and crops to the effects of climate change and, where possible, counteract it by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, at the same time taking into account the growing world population to ensure food security. Thus, the emphasis is not simply on carbon farming or sustainable agriculture, but also on increasing agricultural productivity. "CSA ... is in line with FAO’s vision for Sustainable Food and Agriculture and supports FAO’s goal to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and more sustainable".


Agriculture contributes towards climate change through greenhouse gas emissions and by the conversion of non-agricultural land such as forests into agricultural land. In 2019 the IPCC reported that 13%-21% of anthropogenic greenhouse gasses came specifically from the Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Uses Sector (AFOLU). Emissions from agriculture of nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide make up to half of the greenhouse-gases produced by the overall food industry, or 80% of agricultural emissions. Animal husbandry is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions.

References

  1. Buekers, J; Janssen, S; Veldeman, N; Deutch, F; Int Panis, L (March 2014). "Fine atmospheric particles from agricultural practices in Flanders: from emissions to health effects and limit values". Outlook on Agriculture. 43 (1): 39–44.

Literature