The Netherlands is a small, densely populated country with more than 1,300 inhabitants per square mile. It lacks almost every resource one associates with large-scale agriculture. Nevertheless, it is the number two exporter of food in the world, second only to the United States, which is almost 300 times bigger. The Dutch lead the world in exporting tomatoes, potatoes and onions and produce many other crops as well.
The Netherlands has achieved this status with a commitment to sustainable agriculture made nearly 20 years ago based on the principle “Twice as much food using half as many resources.”
Dutch farmers have reduced dependence on water for key crops by as much as 90%. They’ve almost completely eliminated the use of chemical pesticides in greenhouses, and have greatly reduced the use of antibiotics in poultry and livestock.
Over the past 30 years, the Dutch tomato industry has become the world leader in yield, producing more tomatoes per square mile than anywhere else. It is among the world leaders in yield in many other crops as well. Some high-tech potato farms in the Netherlands produce more than twice as much crop per acre as the global average yield.
Enormous greenhouses stretch across the Dutch landscape, with LED lighting operating throughout the night and permitting 24-hour cultivation under precisely climate-controlled conditions. Some of these greenhouse complexes cover 175 acres.
The Netherland is a tiny country faced with many challenges such as the inexorable flow of water into the land. But it is a country that has long used engineering to deal with adversity and the Dutch approach to growing food provides an impressive example for the rest of the world.
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This Tiny Country Feeds the World
Photo, posted July 11, 2009, courtesy of Dorine Ruter via Flickr.
‘The Tiny Country That Feeds The World’ from Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
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