When you think of giant farming countries you might think of the green fields of Australia and New Zealand. Or you might think of the massive tracts of land in the United States or Russia. You probably don’t think of a small nation in the middle of Europe. But maybe you should, because that is where the future of farming is being pioneered.
The Netherlands is the world’s second largest exporter of agricultural products behind the United States. And they have done so with a land mass just 0.5% the size of Australia. Put another way, the Netherlands export three times as much agricultural product as Australia from a land mass two-thirds the size of Tasmania. It is a truly remarkable story.
Over the past two decades, the Dutch have embraced all manner of farming technology – greenhouses, vertical farming, cell-cultured meat, seed technology and robotics – to become world leaders. They have become so central to the future of food that 15 of the 20 largest agrifood businesses – including Nestle, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Cargill and Kraft Heinz – have major research and development centres in the Netherlands.
Estimates are that agriculture accounts for ~11% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. If the world is going to reduce agricultural emissions over the coming years, we’re willing to bet that the innovations come out of the Netherlands.
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