Future Agricultural Heritage — #3 The Shared Use of Farmland for the Harvesting of Drinking Water and the Production of Food

Future Agricultural Heritage — #3 The Shared Use of Farmland for the Harvesting of Drinking Water and the Production of Food

Environmental requirements (such as nature objectives, restrictions on nitrogen emissions, water quality levels,..) have far reaching consequences which often infringe on the way in which farmers may cultivate the soil. This leads in many cases to the further loss of farmland and active farmers. Some of these environmental requirements do not need to lead to the banning of farmers, but rather to the specialization of farming activities to forms of farming that are compatible with these environmental requirements. The drinking water production centre in Kluizen for example relies on water coming out of the Valley of the Oude Kale. Further expansion of the harvesting of drinking water is not possible because of the impact of farming activities around the nature reservation area. The gradual transition to other forms of farming could change this situation and extent the period in which water can be harvested.

Voices

— Hans Buysse, De Watergroep

— Ingrid Keupers, De Watergroep

— Eva Ver Elst, Ghent University