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, and ornamental plant culture. In Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium, the emphasis is more on arable farming and extensive soil-based cattle breeding.
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 as well. 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.
Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to live in cities. While humans started gathering grains at least 105,000 years ago, nascent farmers only began planting them around 11,500 years ago. Sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle were domesticated around 10,000 years ago. Plants were independently cultivated in at least 11 regions of the world. In the 20th century, industrial agriculture based on large-scale monocultures came to dominate agricultural output.
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. Well designed agricultural policies use predetermined goals, objectives and pathways set by an individual or government for the purpose of achieving a specified outcome, for the benefit of the individual(s), society and the nations' economy at large. The goals could include issues such as biosecurity, food security, rural poverty reduction or increasing economic value through cash crop or improved food distribution or food processing.
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.
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. Covering the northern portion of the country, the Flemish Region is primarily Dutch-speaking. With an area of 13,626 km2 (5,261 sq mi), it accounts for only 45% of Belgium's territory, but 58% of its population. It is one of the most densely populated regions of Europe with around 500/km2 (1,300/sq mi).
Although Australia is mostly arid, the nation is a major agricultural producer and exporter, with over 325,300 people employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing as of February 2015. Agriculture and its closely related sectors earn $155 billion a year for a 12% share of GDP. Farmers and grazers own 135,997 farms, covering 61% of Australia's landmass. Across the country, there is a mix of irrigation and dry-land farming. The success of Australia in becoming a major agricultural power despite the odds is facilitated by its policies of long-term visions and promotion of agricultural reforms that greatly increased the country's agricultural industry.
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.
Agoria, previously known as Fabrimetal, is a Belgian employers' organization and member of the Federation of Belgian Enterprises.
The history of agriculture in India dates back to the Neolithic period. India ranks second worldwide in farm outputs. As per the Indian economic survey 2020 -21, agriculture employed more than 50% of the Indian workforce and contributed 20.2% to the country's GDP.
Agriculture in South Korea is a sector of the economy of South Korea. Korean agriculture is the basic industry of the Korean economy, consisting of farming, animal husbandry, forestry and fishing. At the time of its founding, Korea was a typical agricultural country, with more than 80% of the population engaged in agricultural production. After land reform under the Lee Seung-man administration, economic revitalization under the Park Chung-hee military government and the wave of world trade liberalization that began in the 1980s, Korean agriculture has undergone dramatic changes. Through the Green Revolution, Korea became self-sufficient in rice, the staple food, in 1978, and in 1996, Korea became the first Asian country after Japan to mechanize its agriculture with fine-grained cultivation. The development of Korean agriculture has also led to the development of agriculture-related industries such as fertilizer, agricultural machinery and seed.
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. 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.
Dairy farming is one of the largest agricultural sectors in Canada. Dairy has a significant presence in all of the provinces and is one of the top two agricultural commodities in seven out of ten provinces.
Agriculture in Sweden differs by region. This is due to different soils and different climate zones, with many parts of the country being more suitable to forestry. It makes more economic sense to dedicate land to forestry than agriculture in the northern and mountainous parts of the country.
Flemish people 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%.
Solar power in Belgium reached an installed capacity of 9.9 GW at the end of 2023, an increase of 1.8 GW from 2022.
Agriculture in Wales has in the past been a major part of the economy of Wales, a largely rural country which is 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, agriculture is now much less important; 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 a set of farming methods that has three main objectives with regards to climate change. Firstly, they use adaptation methods to respond to the effects of climate change on agriculture. Secondly, they aim to increase agricultural productivity and to ensure food security for a growing world population. Thirdly, they try to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture as much as possible. Climate-smart agriculture works as an integrated approach to managing land. This approach helps farmers to adapt their agricultural methods to the effects of climate change.
The amount of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture is significant: The agriculture, forestry and land use sectors contribute between 13% and 21% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions come from direct greenhouse gas emissions. And from indirect emissions. With regards to direct emissions, nitrous oxide and methane makeup over half of total greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. Indirect emissions on the other hand come from the conversion of non-agricultural land such as forests into agricultural land. Furthermore, there is also fossil fuel consumption for transport and fertilizer production. For example, the manufacture and use of nitrogen fertilizer contributes around 5% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock farming is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, livestock farming is affected by climate change.
Climate Change in Nigeria is evident from temperature increase, rainfall variability. It is also reflected in drought, desertification, rising sea levels, erosion, floods, thunderstorms, bush fires, landslides, land degradation, more frequent, extreme weather conditions and loss of biodiversity. All of which continue to negatively affect human and animal life and also the ecosystems in Nigeria. Although, depending on the location, regions experience climate change with significant higher temperatures during the dry seasons while rainfalls during rainy seasons help keep the temperature at milder levels. The Effects of Climate Change prompted the World Meteorological Organization, in its 40th Executive Council 1988, to establish a new international scientific assessment panel to be called the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The 2007 IPCC's fourth and final Assessment Report (AR4) revealed that there is a considerable threat of Climate Change that requires urgent global attention. The report further attributed the present global warming to largely anthropogenic practices. The Earth is almost at a point of no return as it faces environmental threats which include atmospheric and marine pollution, global warming, ozone depletion, the dangers of pollution by nuclear and other hazardous substances, and the extinction of various wildlife species.
Agriculture in Ireland began during the neolithic era, when inhabitants of the island began to practice animal husbandry and farming grains. Principal crops grown during the neolithic era included barley and wheat.
Lenders S., Oeyen A., D’hooghe J. & Overloop S. (2012) Bodembalans van de Vlaamse landbouw, cijfers voor 2007-2009, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Division for Agricultural Policy Analysis, in collaboration with The Flemish Environment Agency, Brussels.
Samborski V., Van Bellegem L. & Platteau J. (2014) De biologische landbouw. Stand van zaken 2013, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Division for Agricultural Policy Analysis, Brussels.
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