One year after the launch of Agroecology in Action: Stories from the Ground, the Agroecology Coalition and its members are back with a second edition to continue shining light on the important work done by various stakeholders to implement agroecology on the ground. This publication is the result of extensive discussions and presentations...

The article explores how agricultural technology (AgTech) can support agroecology by enhancing sustainable food systems while respecting ecological and social relationships. Drawing from a lecture by John Thackara at Tongji University, it highlights how digital tools, AI, and design innovations can complement traditional farming knowledge to improve resilience, biodiversity, and...

The EU’s 2020 State of Nature report showed that biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate, with agriculture being the main driver of this decline. Conversely, biodiversity loss has a considerable impact on agriculture. Promoting sustainable agricultural practices that prioritise biodiversity conservation can help mitigate these negative impacts, while enhancing the long-term...

This second volume of the country reports series enlarges the documentation, analysis, and development of agroecology in Europe, and provides examples of implementation in different countries. The 11 countries studied within this volume show somewhat similar results as found in with the first 13 countries mapped in volume 1. There...

Soil organic carbon (SOC) content is the most widely used soil health indicator, but many soil functions are also influenced by the quality of SOC. Yet, standardized SOC quality parameters that can be used in soil health assessments in addition to SOC content are still in development. Here, we investigated...

There are about 2.5 billion people in the world, on 500 million farms, involved with smallholder family agriculture and food production. Their creative capacity to farm productively and sustainably with nature, instead of against it, is perhaps the most powerful force that can be unleashed to overcome the interlinking challenges...

In 2013 the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) enabled groups of farmers to be applicants and final beneficiaries of Agri-environmental schemes (AES). The Dutch government went one step further, ruling that only groups of farmers (farmer collectives) could be beneficiaries of AES. The changing role of farmer groups or farmer...

Transformation to sustainable agriculture in the Netherlands is increasingly called for. Agroecology is acknowledged as a sustainable – potentially transformative – alternative for conventional methods of agriculture. However, few farmers adopt agroecological practices. Recent literature suggests failure to achieve sustained and transformational change may be due to neglectance of personal,...

Hoeksche Waard is an island located in the south of the Netherlands. This rural area lies below sea level, and controlling water on agricultural fields is a major issue, especially in the case of heavy rainfall. An Operational Group was set up to test and optimise a sub-soil system to...

Family farms’ support by legislative measures should be a crucial step for EU countries to ensure food security and a healthy environment in Europe. Therefore, the International conference - Increasing legislative support for family farms in the EU focuses on Family Farm Legislation and family farm policy at the EU member states’ level.

This paper examines agroecology within Europe, its dynamics, its position within a broader politico-economic framework and its political significance. It argues that agroecology is contesting and, at least in some places, effectively changing the main social relations of production in today’s agriculture. In this respect, it has a strategically important...

SUREVEG will develop and implement new diversified, resource-efficient and intensive vegetable cropping systems. The systems are based on strip-cropping, and fertility strategies combined from recycling of waste and plant-based soil-improvers and fertilizers. The purpose is to meet the needs of the organic vegetable sector comprising ecological intensification, resilience, fertilization, resource-efficiency and biodiversity. Field...

The University of Groningen is presenting a summer school ''Designing sustainable landscapes within regional food systems'' that will hold between 30 August - 3 September 2021. The objective of the school is for participants to develop capacities and skills for the analysis and design of multifunctional agroecological landscapes within sustainable regional food systems,...

Miranda Bout, co-owner of a small fishery company in the Netherlands, shares her experiences of staying afloat during the Covid-19 crisis. Miranda and her husband Job Bout are co-owners of a small-scale fishery company, called ‘Fish from Job’, in the province of Zeeland in the south west of the Netherlands. One...

Many farmers in Europe and North America are burdened with debts due to the heavy investments they have made over the years to buy farm machinery. A new tractor easily costs 100,000 Euro or more. New agricultural policies often force farmers to change as well.

Organic farmer Ville Kari from Finland applies variable rate fertilization and seeding on his farm. With this technique he hopes to increase the yields and lower the environmental impact at the same time. In this video we will show you how Ville Kari plans and executes variable rate fertilization and...

Fishers find their voice in the Netherlands: their traditional gear is finally recognized.

With their ability to mobilise 1.5 billion smallholder producers, forest and farm producer organisations (FFPOs) can help drive a paradigm shift away from large-scale monocultural systems, which are vulnerable to climate change and highly inequitable. FFPO businesses embody greater diversity and equity, pursuing market opportunities for a diverse basket of...

Two years ago, Dutch dairy farmer Matté Eikelenboom started exploring crop diversification in his grazing land, to stimulate soil life and improve the health of his cows. His mixed pastures show promising results for the quality of his feed and the health of his animals. The variety of species also...

Every year either Netherlands or Belgium hosts the bi-national CSA Conference. This year it was held in Amersfoort, in the center of the Netherlands and close to several CSAs. It was a fully sold out event (125+) with a plenary meeting, workshops, a meal and a movie and on Sunday we...