Raffinerie Tirlemontoise, a beet sugar producer, BENEO, a manufacturer of functional ingredients and Puratos, a bakery, patisserie, and chocolate ingredients provider, have begun collaborations to launch a climate farming project.
The ambitious initiative supports Belgian farmers in implementing more sustainable farming practises, while also promoting regenerative agriculture as a way to improve soil health.
Moving towards sustainable farming
The scheme will aim to empower farmers through training and encouraging industry players to exchange their knowledge.
It will run until 2025 and involves 15 pilot farms across Belgium. They will cultivate sugar beet, wheat and chicory in a way that adheres to regenerative farming protocols over an area equivalent to 1,100 football fields.
Throughout the project, farmers will work on specific farming measures, including strategies such as reducing mineral nitrogen fertilisation and pesticide use, as well as enhancing biodiversity by planting flower strips and hedgerows.
Maintaining soil quality
Improving the biomass of cover and catch crops that are planted after the main crop harvest will also reduce soil erosion and enhance soil fertility and biodiversity in agroecosystems.
In addition, it will aim to reduce the tillage and soil work to different degrees as a measure to combat erosion.
These efforts are supported by the localised application of mineral fertilisers, the use of organic fertilisers, biopesticides and the early sowing of multi-species catch crops.
Fabrice Flamend, a farmer from Eghezée, Belgium, and member of the Climate Farming Project, commented: “It’s clear that the agricultural sector must move towards a more regenerative approach. While there are many ideas on how to achieve this, involving farmers and their expertise from the field in these discussions is vital. We need to uncover feasible techniques where factors such as soil condition, crops, equipment and profitability can be taken into account."
"The Climate Farming Project will provide a platform to exchange know-how and experience between farmers and the companies that process our crops. Through the Climate Farming Project, we can work together on solutions that will future-proof agriculture.”
