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Luc Vanoirbeek, VBT, looks back and ahead:

"The importance of research for agriculture's future cannot be underestimated"

It was an unusual year for European and, thus, Belgian agriculture and horticulture. Extreme weather conditions, regulatory changes, and geopolitical conflicts all played a part. Luc Vanoirbeek, however, also saw a clear improvement in 2023. "The appreciation Ursula von der Leyen expressed in her State of the Union address to the European Commission gives me hope that our sector will be able to overcome those challenges," he begins.

When asked to reflect on the Belgian fruit and vegetable sector's past year, the VBT secretary noted three main points. "Firstly, there's the appreciation the past year has brought for growers and the sector as a whole. Agriculture and horticulture used to rarely, or minimally, be mentioned in speeches. Only the costs involved were discussed."

"EU Commission President Von der Leyen said something crucial in her speech: 'I want to take the opportunity to express my appreciation for growers for delivering food day after day. Producing healthy food is the foundation of our agricultural policy'. Suddenly, Europeans started talking about food sovereignty. For me, that awareness is a game-changer in 2023," says Luc.


Luc Vanoirbeek (right) with Philippe Appeltans from BelOrta

Sustainability is no longer optional
Next, the seasoned specialist touches on the topic of sustainability. It is a broad subject increasingly becoming part of many companies' business operations. "That used to be voluntary. It was obviously encouraged, but in the past year, it seems to have become a necessary condition for market access. Sustainability reporting will become a legal company obligation. Especially the larger ones are already working hard on that."

"It's also evident in Belgian cooperatives. People are asking, 'How exactly should we take responsibility? 'What requirements must we meet?' and especially, 'What exactly is sustainable?' Spanish, Belgian, and Dutch tomatoes are often compared. The Spanish offer is often considered more sustainable because it uses less fossil fuels. But, take water use and circularity into account, and it becomes slightly more nuanced. The challenge is to objectify that," Luc explains.

Climate change
"Finally, what sticks with me from 2023 are, of course, the extreme weather conditions, of which we saw plenty. Whether it was the drought and heat in countries like Spain and Morocco or the floods and rainfall in Italy, Greece, and recently Belgium and Northern France. These extremes led to massive crop losses. For a long time, climate change was viewed as something for the future, something we'd have to deal with at some point."

"But it's become tangible. The effects are visibly real and will play an ever-larger role in the coming years. Implementing a widely supported policy can be challenging as one person's disadvantages could be another's advantages, as we now see in the pear market. However, it's never good to depend on another's misfortune. In the long run, that will return to haunt you," Luc continues.

Importance of research
That leads him to perhaps one of the most noteworthy items for 2024: the importance of research. "That cannot be underestimated. We'll have to pull out all the stops to ensure the future of European agriculture and horticulture. That will require research into alternatives for fossil fuels in greenhouse horticulture. The buying frenzy in other parts of the world means that won't be available forever," says Vanoirbeek.

"We also need research into water use. Belgium and the Netherlands generally have enough water, though it sometimes falls poorly. Downpours can follow months of dry weather, as we recently experienced. We'll have to deal with that efficiently. We must learn how to use water sustainably by buffering it better. Our plant-based sector is on the right track, but there's still a long way to go."

"The same goes for crop protection products. Saying, 'We're going to phase those out' is pointless. There will always be diseases and pests, and with climate change, they'll only become more prevalent. Then, it's vital to provide a meaningful response and develop a toolbox," Luc points out.

"We must have sufficient ways to deal with these problems. So, we urgently need research into alternatives. Especially in Europe, we sometimes underestimate how important research is in agriculture and horticulture's overall development. Regardless, new resistant varieties and alternative crop protection products are necessary, urgent requirements."

New political environment
Luc adds that these issues should not be put on the back burner or pushed aside. He says although there appears to be more appreciation from the European Commission, 2024 is a year of change. "It's European elections, as well as elections in many countries," he explains. "That will create some disquiet, as we don't know which direction new leaders or governments will take."

"The question then becomes how we'll deal with important agricultural sector matters in this new political environment. Regulations around packaging, NGT, and water use are topics the VBT is eagerly anticipating in the coming months. Ultimately, I hope we can keep following the good line that's been set," Luc concludes.

For more information:
Luc Vanoirbeek
Belgian Horticultural Cooperatives' Association (VBT)
[email protected]
www.vbt.eu