Longreads Wageningen University & Research
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Start by unpacking circular agriculture
25 May 2021 - Longread - The Netherlands is aiming to move towards circular agriculture. But there are still a lot of questions around what that means and how to do it. Pieter de Wolf and Wijnand Sukkel are working on the answers at WUR Field Crops. “Articulate the problems you want to solve. Otherwise, circular agriculture will remain a vague concept." -
The robot does the work, the farmer stays in control
25 May 2021 - Longread - Data and high tech will be important tools for farmers of the future. At Wageningen University & Research (WUR) Field Crops, arable farming researcher Jan Kamp and fruit cultivation specialist Peter Frans de Jong are developing new applications. “Technology is taking over, but the farmer stays in control.” -
Restore the connection between city and countryside
25 May 2021 - Longread - In their work, Jan-Eelco Jansma and Marcel Vijn connect the city and the countryside. Citizens are keen to establish connections with the farmer, and the farmer with citizens. These new connections concern other needs besides food. According to the researchers, this connection is leading to exciting innovations. -
Future farmers will sell both products and services
25 May 2021 - Longread - The market strategy of Dutch agriculture and horticulture is evolving from a focus on lowering production costs towards valorising the additional expectations that consumers are placing on growers. It means the various sectors in the Netherlands will continue to specialise, according to researchers Marianne Groot and Herman Schoorlemmer. “This will require cooperation between everyone who depends on the agricultural sector for their lives and livelihoods.” -
Crop protection: high tech supports ecology
25 May 2021 - Longread - Less chemicals and greater resilience. That’s how the future of crop protection is often summarised. WUR researchers Marleen Riemens and Marcel van der Voort contribute to future crop protection systems. “Production systems need to be intelligently designed and carefully monitored.” -
Improving soil quality with organic matter
25 May 2021 - Longread - Researchers Marjoleine Hanegraaf and Janjo de Haan are experts in the field of soil organic matter (SOM). They argue that, when it comes to SOM management, we in the Netherlands tend to adhere too much to the same old rules of thumb. Their vision is to manage soil using different types of organic matter. The only way to really achieve sustainable soil management is with new knowledge and techniques. -
‘We can only stop biodiversity loss if we all work together right now’
22 April 2021 - Longread - Earth Day is a perfect moment to spotlight the new Wageningen Biodiversity Initiative through an interview with the driving force behind this collaboration, Professor of Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Liesje Mommer. ‘If we deploy all the biodiversity knowledge we have at WUR we can make a huge difference.’ -
Mekong Delta: Vietnam’s rice bowl transitions into a diverse food basket
21 April 2021 - Longread - In 1975, following the war, Vietnam faced a massive famine. With help from Wageningen, the Mekong Delta rapidly became the second-largest rice producing region in the world. Forty-five years later, Wageningen University & Research is still involved, but its focus now is on future-proofing the delta in the face of climate change and global market demands. Using the Food Systems Approach, policymakers are gaining insights into all of the factors and interests that play a role in this region. -
How to turn manure into valuable products
31 March 2021 - Longread - Manure is no longer seen as a waste stream, but as a valuable raw material. More and more technologies are being developed to convert manure into valuable organic and inorganic nutrients for agriculture. This is helping to close agricultural nutrient cycles at the regional level, ensures optimal use of the available nutrients and minimises harmful losses into the environment. Oscar Schoumans, a researcher at Wageningen University & Research, is an expert in this field. -
Sustainability commitments: Similarities and Differences between Retailers and Brand manufacturers
30 March 2021 - Longread - Climate change, resource depletion, inequality. The food and beverage (F&B) and retail sector is facing an unprecedented set of sustainability challenges – many of which they are a major contributor to themselves. Instead of ignoring or denying these challenges, more and more companies are taking their responsibility and committing to positive change. Our analysis of more than 650 public commitments in sustainability reports (2020) shows that nearly all large retailers and food processing companies (EU/US) make time-bounded sustainability commitments. What can the sustainability commitments of these companies tell us? Well, it is more than you might think at first. In this article, three main subjects will be discussed: i) the number of sustainability commitments and their intended goal deadline; ii) the trending sustainability themes in the food & beverage sector; and iii) why to look beyond the sustainability commitment.