Dutch Boost Bid For Sustainable Farming

Wageningen University's Farm of the Future project in Lelystad, Netherlands, takes the lead in the country’s bid to reduce carbon emissions and intensify sustainable farming, Suzanne Bearne reported for BBC News.

Farm of the Future started four years ago after observing biodiversity decline due to climate change. I Photo: Farm of the Future

Farm of the Future project manager, Wijnand Sukkel, says crops are grown on the campus, and experiments are conducted on crop diversity, with eight different crops sown at any one time, including wheat, onions, potatoes, and broad beans.

"We know that crop diversity works," says Sukkel, who adds that they also use cover crops to help improve the soil and biodiversity. "It's a more efficient use of water, has a lower risk of pest disease, a higher biodiversity, is better for the soil, and yields higher results."

The world population is expected to reach nearly 10 billion people by 2050, according to the UN.

Sukkel and his colleagues are developing sustainable farming systems to ensure there's enough food for the global population while also working to reduce carbon emissions. Farm of the Future started four years ago after observing biodiversity decline due to climate change.

"We wondered if it was possible to design a high food production farm system with zero fossil fuel energy use, no damage from pesticides, and resilience to heavy rainfall or very long dry periods."

The Farm of the Future has invested in technology to strengthen its production and make it more sustainable. The Netherlands is the second-biggest exporter of agricultural goods worldwide.

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