Organic agriculture has excellent opportunities to create strong links between the environment it operates in, the people who live there and local nature and landscape. The Dutch organic sector aspires to strengthen these links and it is already well on its way. Together with researchers and stakeholders new concepts are being developed and put into practic

Hommes, M.

Sukkel, W.

English

Wageningen Yield 

113
Andries Visser
13 People and society
Organic agriculture has excellent opportunities to create strong links between the 
environment it operates in, the people who live there and local nature and land-
scape. The Dutch organic sector aspires to strengthen these links and it is already 
well on its way. Together with researchers and stakeholders new concepts are being 
developed and put into practice. 
Nowadays, many consumers have no idea where their food comes from. Rural and urban life seem 
to have drifted apart. Nature and landscape management are not even intrinsic elements of farm 
life anymore. Research shows that organic agriculture may well be capable of bridging the gap 
between consumers, farm and nature. Many organic farmers derive their motivation not only from 
primary production. They also want to restore the ties between urban and rural life, and between 
agriculture and nature. This way they contribute to what is considered ‘social sustainability’.
People
What exactly is social sustainability and what role can organic agriculture play in it? To answer  
this question researcher Marieke Meeusen refers to the definition of sustainability given in the 
Brundtland report ‘Our common future’. Within the framework of the three P’s (people, planet and 
profit), social sustainability focuses on the P of People. This means that a socially sustainable 
farming business, for example, does not exploit people. To be more precise: its business practices 
do not involve child labour or excessive physical labour, and they do not negatively impact the 
labourers’ mental well-being. The P of People also implies that people work together to increase 
environmental awareness. This is exactly what organic agriculture does through the large number of 
linkages it creates with its environment. Meeusen: “This way, people become more aware of what 
good food really is. If you want to judge organic agriculture on its social sustainability, you have to 
look at aspects like labour conditions, the physical burden on labourers and the links to society 
created by the sector.” 
Linking farmer and general public
Agriculture often takes the connection between producer and consumer (citizen) for granted. In the 
past this connection was mostly based on geographic proximity. In a globalised society the 
principle mainly represents a close emotional relationship between producer and consumer. For 
such a relationship to develop, the identity of the producer has to be apparent to the consumer. 
There are various ways for producers to connect with their social environment. The Dutch organic 
“Organic agriculture creates 
linkages between farmers and  
the general public” 
Andries Visser
114 Research on organic agriculture in the Netherlands 115People and society
Labour conditions on organic farms
One aspect of social sustainability concerns 
labour conditions. How does organic 
agriculture perform compared to 
conventional agriculture? The physical 
workload has been studied in a number of 
sectors. The results vary.
Labour conditions on organic arable farms 
and field vegetable farms are worse than 
those on conventional farms. This is mainly 
due to the large number of hours spent 
weeding by hand. These activities put much 
strain on the back. Also, monotonous work 
during planting, weeding, harvesting, and 
preparation for auction may cause 
Repetitive Strain Injury. 
Organic poultry farms perform better than 
their conventional counterparts, as far as 
labour conditions are concerned. Organic 
poultry farmers keep fewer animals, which 
results in fewer hours spent in the poultry 
house. Organic pig farmers, on the other 
hand, have more physical work thanks to 
filling, cleaning and mucking out the pens, 
and because of the way the animals are fed. 
This leads to more physical strain (in 
particular on the lower back) than on 
conventional farms. 
Little more information is available about 
labour conditions in organic enterprises. 
Nothing is known about absence due to 
sickness and accidents. Research into the 
work satisfaction of organic farmers has 
only just started. Existing literature shows 
that ‘going organic’ brings the joy back into 
farming for many farmers. Interviews were 
held with ‘care farmers’; farmers who allow 
people with a mental or physical disability 
to work on their farms on a therapeutic 
basis. These interviews showed that having 
such activities on the farm improves the 
farmer’s quality of life. 
sector aims to strengthen these connections. Research has already looked at the types of services 
organic farmers offer the general public and how these services help (re)connect the urban and 
rural worlds. It would be interesting to find out which linkages best suit the needs of the public. 
Research on this topic has recently started. 
 
Organic farmers can contribute to these linkages through on-farm nature and landscape 
conservation. Organic farmers inspire scientists through their nature and landscape management – 
not only by providing space for nature and landscape on their farms, but also by explicitly thinking 
about ways to turn nature and landscape into inseparable parts of organic farm management. 
A second way to contribute to a closer connection is through what the Dutch call ‘experience 
farming’. This basically means locating agricultural activities within a city or near urban 
agglomerations. The short distance between farmer and city-dweller is a distinctive characteristic: 
many people visit the farm, they see the farmer at work, they come to pick their own apples or to 
play with the goats. Because of the direct contact these people have with agricultural activities, 
farming systems in which no chemicals are used are preferred. The project ‘Tomorrow’s taste’ is 
currently testing which cultivation systems might be suitable for this form of agriculture.
Multi-functional organic farms 
It turns out that organic farms do indeed play a linking role, more so than conventional farms. 
Organic farms serve a wide range of functions, including recreation, health services, nature 
conservation and education. An analysis of these side-activities of Dutch organic farms shows that, 
proportionally, organic farms offer over three times more activities than conventional farms. 
On-farm sales are offered five times more often on organic farms than on conventional farms, 
recreational activities six times more often, and healthcare activities seventeen times more often. 
Compared to conventional farms, the linkages in organic farms seem to be more related to 
emotional values like dedication, passion and conviction (see Table 1). 
Type of linkage Emotional value Schwartz’s values*
Product  
Regional/brand product Interest Novelty and curiosity
Quality label  Conviction Equality and responsibility
Service  
On-farm sales Diversion Novelty and pleasure
Farmers’ market Interest Curiosity and social harmony
Farm shop Conviction Safety and social harmony
Subscription Dedication Sense of connectedness and
  obedience
Experience  
Day recreation Amusement Curiosity and pleasure
Overnight recreation Diversion Freedom and curiosity
Education Interest Curiosity and justice
Child care Interest Social harmony and responsibility
Care farm Passion Safety and connectedness
Participation in discussions and Conviction Helpfulness and equality
labour activities
Participation in decision making  Dedication Responsibility and tolerance
*  Schwartz’s values are common values that act as ‘guiding principles for one’s life’. The ‘Schwartz Value Inventory’ 
(1992) was a wide survey of over 60,000 people in which Schwartz identified ten ‘value types’ that gather multiple 
values into a single category.
Table 1. Types of linkages and underlying consumer values
Anton Stortelder
“Nature should not only  
be tolerated on a farm,  
but integrated actively”
Anton Stortelder
116 Research on organic agriculture in the Netherlands 117People and society
The crops in a Mondriaan field are a colourful and graphic addition to the landscape
Farmers and researchers discussing nature and landscape on organic farms
Values such as equality, responsibility, safety, social harmony, helpfulness and tolerance are typical 
of these relations. The linkages created by conventional agriculture, with innovation, pleasure, 
freedom and curiosity as their main values, are less engaging.
Organic farmers often view their farms in a holistic way, which explains the different values of the 
connections they create. They often pass this message of wholeness on to visitors and consumers. 
Because the different farm activities are often interwoven, organic farmers are able to emphasize 
the link with food production and natural cycles. 
Research only gives a first indication of the extent of the linkages. The framework for assessment 
of these linkages needs further substantiation. Further surveys among consumers and the general 
public are also required. Whether the theoretically formulated values for the various activities are 
indeed valid, is one of many questions that still need to be answered.
“Even though this research is still in its early stages, it shows the clear distinction between organic 
and conventional agriculture. This gives the sector new arguments with which to communicate to 
society the added value of ‘organic’ production”, says Andries Visser, leader of the ‘Multifunctional’ 
research programme. “Pergola farms or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), where local 
citizens have a say in farm management, are the most far-reaching form of linkage between a 
farmer and the general public.”
Urban agriculture 
The most important contributions made by farms in urban environments are the various linkages 
and experiences they provide for urban citizens. This form of agriculture can be found only 
sporadically in the Netherlands, but scientists believe it could be applied much more frequently in 
the extension of urban areas. The concept needs further elaboration, but it is already evident that 
organic agriculture is the most suitable form of urban farming. Agricultural activities that take place 
in the middle of housing developments should not involve the use of chemicals. Farms should also 
offer services and activities to people living in the neighbourhood. This not only legitimises the use 
of valuable land for urban agriculture (rather than for commercial or residential buildings), it is also 
the only way to run an economically viable farm.
Agromere, agriculture 
in a new suburb
Research into urban farming in the 
Netherlands evolves around the projects 
‘Agromere’ and ‘Tomorrow’s taste’.  
In Agromere scientists are attempting, 
together with stakeholders, to develop 
concepts for urban farming to be 
implemented in future urban extensions 
of the city of Almere. Many stakeholders 
in Almere are enthusiastic about urban 
farming. Together, scientists, farmers, 
landscape architects, project developers 
and town and country planners are 
preparing the conditions and 
requirements for urban agriculture. 
The issues encountered by the 
stakeholders of the Agromere project are 
serving as input for the ‘Tomorrow’s taste’ 
project. Urban farming should focus on 
growing crops that give city dwellers 
something ‘extra’. Examples are colourful 
crops like tulips, or crops people may 
taste or pick themselves, such as 
strawberries.                                                             
One of the issues that are yet to be 
resolved, is how farmers can make  
the landscape attractive to the general 
public. In a pilot project, scientists 
designed a ‘Mondriaan field’ with  
crops of different colours and shapes.  
GPS-techniques were used to enable 
easy sowing and harvesting of these 
fields.
Nature and landscape
Many organic farmers are convinced that nature and landscape elements are, or should be, an 
inextricable part of organic farms. Literature shows that organic farmers provide “green services” 
such as clean water, biodiversity, and attractive landscapes through their farming efforts and by 
refraining from the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. On average, organic farms provide more 
biodiversity and characteristic (regional) agricultural landscapes than conventional farms. Organic 
farmers are more inclined to grow traditional crops and varieties; there are more herbs and insects on 
organic fields; and the farms have more landscape elements that attract breeding birds and insects.
The above is not true for all organic farms. Conventional farms in old landscapes, such as the 
‘Friese Wouden’ in the Netherlands, contain a higher than average biodiversity. On the other hand, 
biodiversity is lower than average on an efficiently organised organic arable farm with large fields in 
Groningen. Biodiversity is threatened by the trend towards scale enlargement and mechanisation, 
which also affects a number of organic farms.
118 Research on organic agriculture in the Netherlands 119
such a package was investigated together with the farmers. This resulted in seven requirements 
(see box ‘The organic Nature farmer’) that were found acceptable by the farmers who participated 
in the project. 
The most important requirement, according to Stortelder, is that farmers reintroduce clippings and 
other organic waste into their farms through composting. “This creates a link between the farmer, 
nature and the landscape. By taking nutrients away from the surrounding natural habitats, he 
creates opportunities for the development of valuable biodiversity. At the same time he works 
towards closing the mineral cycle of his farm.” It is essential that the nature farmer works in a 
structured way by making a farm nature plan. This way his investors can confirm that nature 
management agreements are being met. According to Stortelder it would not be fair to judge a 
nature farmer’s performance based on the number of plants or meadow birds counted on his fields. 
Spontaneous establishment of plants, for instance, is not only influenced by management but also 
by the natural potential of the farm environment. 
The framework for this new farming concept has been made. The researchers will now present it  
to the same farmers who participated in the workshops. Follow-up research with two or three farms 
that will apply the concept will be next. This still requires a few preparations, such as drawing up a 
list of typical regional landscape elements (e.g. alder belts and reed borders in peat meadow areas) 
finding investors, and working out a realistic compensation scheme. Results are expected in 2012. 
A successful pilot project would enable the organic sector to extend the methodology to more 
organic farms.
Literature
Jansma, J.E., Visser, A.J., Wolf, P. de and D.J. Stobbelaar. 2008. Agromere: how to integrate urban agriculture in  
the development of the Dutch city of Almere Proceedings of IFOAM 2008, Modena, Italy, 17-20 June 2008.
Visser, A.J., Jansma, J.E., Schoorlemmer, H. and M.A. Slingerland. 2009. How to deal with competing claims in 
peri-urban design and development: The DEED framework in the Agromere project. In: Transitions towards sustainable 
agriculture, food chains in peri-urban areas, Poppe, K, Slingerland, M.A. &  R. Rabbinge (eds).
People and society
Quantifiable nature
To retain its pioneering position in landscape and nature management, the organic sector needs 
proper compensation for their tangible contributions to biodiversity. These contributions to nature 
and landscape must be substantial and should be integrated into the farm. “Nature should not only 
be tolerated on a farm, but actively integrated as part of total farm management. You have to be 
able to utilise your position as a farmer”, explains researcher Anton Stortelder. Together with a 
number of farmers he has developed a concept for interweaving nature and landscape 
management on organic farms with quantifiable nature targets. 
During workshops in three regions, organic farmers expressed their enthusiasm and willingness to 
provide a fixed package of region-specific nature and landscape contributions. In return they wanted 
a lasting, inflation-adjusted annual compensation (from financial investors). The possible shape of 
The organic nature 
farmer
The organic nature farmer provides  
a package of region-specific green 
services. This is the focus of his entire 
farming system. The following conditions 
also apply:
-  Crops are regularly rotated on soils 
that are suitable for this purpose.
-  At least 5 per cent of the farm area 
consists of landscape elements  
typical to the region.
-  The farmer looks after these 
landscape elements.
-  Clippings and other organic material 
resulting from the maintenance of 
these landscape elements are 
removed, composted and reintroduced 
into the mineral cycle of the farm,
-  Meadow birds are not disturbed during 
the breeding season.
-  The design of the farm yard receives 
additional attention: at least 40 per 
cent of the built-on and paved 
surfaces will be made more attractive 
by using landscape elements that are 
characteristic of farm yards in the 
region.
- The farm is open to visitors.
Information
Dr Andries Visser 
e-mail: andries.visser@wur.nl
Researcher Linkages between Society  
and the Environment
Applied Plant Research
Wageningen UR
Marieke Meeusen MSc. 
e-mail: marieke.meeusen@wur.nl
Researcher Added Value of Social Sustainability 
LEI
Wageningen UR
Dr Anton Stortelder
e-mail: anton.stortelder@wur.nl
Researcher Nature and Landscape
Alterra
Wageningen UR 


People and society

Organic Eprints

practiceOrganic agriculture has excellent opportunities to create strong links between the environment it operates in, the people who live there and local nature and landscape. The Dutch organic sector aspires to strengthen these links and it is already well on its way. Together with researchers and stakeholders new concepts are being developed and put into practic

People and society

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Wageningen Yield

Organic Eprints

Name not available

NARCIS