Driving fundamental change

For a long time, I have been committed to a future for agriculture and horticulture that is both financially and environmentally sustainable. And to a good quality of life in the countryside. Over the years, I have had to change my convictions.

For example, when, some time in my thirties, I walked across my land with a biologist and proudly showed him how fantastic my pastures looked. Nutritious and plenty of pasture for my cows, perfect for producing healthy milk. It was only after that encounter that I realised that flowering and herbaceous plants and – with them – insects were conspicuous by their absence. Since then, we no longer plough in the soil and have more herbaceous grassland, which is better for the soil and biodiversity. And, what’s more, it doesn’t make a lot of difference financially.

Entrepreneurship
Rabobank is now sketching the contours of a future-proof agri-food sector in the Netherlands. Environmental space in the Netherlands is limited and is shrinking all the time, which is why we are clear about the changes that we believe are really necessary. The entire chain must join forces to take the next step towards sustainability. We outline what it will take – in our view – to enable entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector to continue do what they have been doing well for generations: responding to changes in the market, new government policies, technological developments and shifts in social attitudes. Being capable of changing what you believe in is a sign of entrepreneurship.

Systemic change
We are taking a step towards the future, to 2040, in this vision. We outline what the agri-food sector in the Netherlands could look like then. Rabobank recognises that systemic change is needed if we are to hold on to our position as a leading and competitive agri-food sector, one which produces within the boundaries set by the environment and the climate. The future we are sketching should preferably be a target-driven scenario in which true value becomes the basis for processing food and green products like flowers and plants. When calculating true value, the costs and benefits to the environment, climate, health and animal welfare are also factored into the price of our food.

True value
We’re not quite sure where that journey to true value will take us. What we do know is that true value offers the best opportunities for a successful agri-food sector operating within a good business environment. With true value as the basic premise, production and consumption benefits the climate and the environment the most, and it benefits public health and animal welfare. 2040 may seem a long way off, but it’s only 16 years hence.

Invitation
We are sharing our vision that a good future awaits the agri-food sector in the Netherlands. It is an invitation to all entrepreneurs in the agri-food chain to work together for a financially and ecologically sustainable future for the agri-food sector.

Alex Datema, Director of Food and Agri the Netherlands

Reader's guide
This digizine discusses:

2) Where we want the Dutch agri-food sector to be by 2040
3) Four future scenarios
4) Rabobank’s choice: true value as a financial model
5) Rabobank’s contribution
6) What other organizations can do