Agriculture minister want Flanders to become "Silicon Valley of sustainable food production"

Flanders has what it takes to become "the Silicon Valley of sustainable food production", says Flemish Agriculture minister Jo Brouns on the occasion of the Flemish Food Summit on Tuesday in Roeselare. At the summit, Brouns plans to present the new Flemish food strategy (GO4Food) today. The minister insists on the importance of "strategic autonomy".

Flanders wants to learn lessons from the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing energy crisis. Being too dependent on foreign countries for protective materials or energy makes you vulnerable as a region, says Brouns, which is why the minister thinks "strategic autonomy" in the field of food is so important. Flemish citizens must be able to enjoy high-quality foreign foods, but Flanders "must not become dependent" on these food imports, he says. This is why there is a need for a "strong, sustainable and performing agriculture", albeit "in balance with the environment".

The new Flemish food strategy formulates 19 objectives to achieve affordable, high-quality, sustainable food. These objectives range from fighting food inequality to food pricing. Primary producers must also be given a sustainable future perspective, for instance through "the availability of food land".

"With this food strategy, we are going for healthy and sustainable food for all, a thriving food economy with fair remuneration for farmers and a food system that respects the limits of our planet."

According to Agriculture minister Brouns, the aim is to achieve some of these objectives in the short term through "food deals" or leverage actions. Concrete actions have already been launched towards each deal. The food deals will be further refined and supplemented in the coming months.

"We may have the ambition to turn Flanders into the Silicon Valley for sustainable food production: with our agricultural companies, research centres, knowledge institutions and food industry, we have all the cards to do so," says Brouns. "With this food strategy, we are going for healthy and sustainable food for all, a thriving food economy with fair remuneration for farmers and a food system that respects the limits of our planet," adds Patricia De Clercq, secretary-general of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

(BRV)

^{#FlandersNewsService | Flemish minister of Agriculture Jo Brouns © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM}