Dutch nature inclusive farmers reach out to international political audience

Nature inclusive farming is gaining momentum. Since the Dutch Minister for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Carola Schouten, published her vision for more sustainable, circular farming, initiatives touching upon this vision are receiving more attention. This gives the Nature and Environmental Federations (NMF Noord Holland) the chance to show the ambition for circular, nature inclusive farming in The Netherlands to a worldwide public during an international agricultural fair, the “Grüne woche” (green week) in Berlin. Commissioned by the Ministry for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, NMF enabled 13 local farmers to tell their stories and show their products to an international, political audience. NMF and the farmers welcomed both the Dutch and the German delegation, including members of parliament and the minster herself to address the constraints they face in practicing nature inclusive farming. The minister promised that she will adjust policies to make nature inclusive farming more beneficial for farmers.

I happened to be doing my FNP Master’s student internship with NMF in this period, and so I had the opportunity to help with organising the nature inclusive farming event at the Grüne woche. It was a great honour to welcome the minister and give ‘our’ farmers an international, political podium to share their stories. - Reineke van Tol (left on the front row, with Minister Schouten, second from right)