Bio-Science EngineeringBio-Science EngineeringDepartment of Agricultural EconomicsDepartment of Agricultural Economics

Development strategies for peri-urban farming

BVLE symposium

Valerie Vandermeulen

Promotor: Prof. G. Van Huylenbroeck

Department of Agricultural Economics

URBANIZATION

- markets (land, labour, other inputs) - institutions (policy priorities)

advantages disadvantages

changing strategies - new activities - multifunctional valuation - strong networks - others

Department of Agricultural Economics

Urbanization in Belgium

■ Urban and Peri-urban regions● The fringe of Brussels● Big cities in West-Flanders

■ Rural regions● Parts of West-Flanders● More distant fringe of Brussels

■ Difference? Based on population pressure and commuting figures

Department of Agricultural Economics

Advantages and Disadvantages of urbanization

■ examples of differences ● Policy (some results)

● Land use (some results)

● Transportation (yet to be researched)

● ...

Changing farm strategy

Department of Agricultural Economics

■ Policy

FLANDERS■ Emphasis on environmental issues■ Promotion of organic farmingWALLOON REGION■ Emphasis on agricultural productivity■ Attention to social context

% Flanders Walloon

Active diversification 39.0 % 27.2 %

Environmental programs 19.4 % 27.5 %

Department of Agricultural Economics

■ Policy is also researched at a local level

The analysis shows that local policies can make a difference in the uptake of multifunctionality and diversification.

The local policy is highly underestimated as institutional level.

Department of Agricultural Economics

■ Land UseRural -> peri-urban -> urban Less land available Less profitable traditional farming

On Average 5 km closer to Brussels

Land in ownership - 2.26 ha

Land in tenancy - 2.62 ha

On Average 1 ha less in ownership

1 ha less in tenancy

Probability of farm being profitable

- 1.57 % - 3.07 %

Department of Agricultural Economics

Changing farm strategy■ New activities

● E.g. Active diversification, home selling, new products

Active diversification is a strategy used by peri-urban farmers

Note: rural and peri-urban areas should be refined

West-Flanders Fringe of Brussels

Direct sales 3.6 % 3.9 %

Home processing 9.2 % 27.5 %

Tourism 4.0 % 5.3 %

Department of Agricultural Economics

■ Valorize nature and landscape effects of farming● E.g. environmental programs, hedges, tree rows

=> Environmental programs are strategies used by non peri-urban farmers!

Environmental programs Mean distance from Brussels

Farmer without 24.35 km

Farmer with 26.91 km

Department of Agricultural Economics

■ Strong networks● E.g. for locally produced goods

● Yet to be researched

■ Other possible strategies ?

Department of Agricultural Economics

Progress

■ Early stage literature review

■ Collection of data: ● On multifunctional agriculture (finished)

● On networking (going on)

● …

■ Developing strategies

■ Feasibility of development suggestions