Development strategies for peri-urban farming BVLE symposium

1. Development strategies for peri-urban farmingBVLE symposium Valerie Vandermeulen Promotor: Prof. G. Van Huylenbroeck

3. 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

4. Advantages and Disadvantages of urbanization • examples of differences • Policy (some results) • Land use (some results) • Transportation (yet to be researched) • ... • Changing farm strategy

5. Policy FLANDERS • Emphasis on environmental issues • Promotion of organic farming WALLOON REGION • Emphasis on agricultural productivity • Attention to social context

6. 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.

7. Land Use Rural -> peri-urban -> urban • Less land available • Less profitable traditional farming

8. 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

9. Valorize nature and landscape effects of farming • E.g. environmental programs, hedges, tree rows => Environmental programs are strategies used by non peri-urban farmers!

10. Strong networks • E.g. for locally produced goods • Yet to be researched • Other possible strategies ?

11. Progress • Early stage literature review • Collection of data: • On multifunctional agriculture (finished) • On networking (going on) • … • Developing strategies • Feasibility of development suggestions