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filosoful OP t1_je1q95k wrote

The Netherlands’ hyper-efficient food system is both a triumph and a cautionary tale

Going back nearly 80 years, anxieties over food security have driven the tiny Netherlands to become a global leader in agriculture despite having just half the land area of South Carolina.

After a horrific famine during World War II killed more than 20,000 Dutch, the government heavily invested in its agricultural sector through subsidies, rural infrastructure, and industrialization.

Two decades ago, it pledged to grow twice as much food with half as many resources, a goal it has already far exceeded. Today, the Netherlands produces 6 percent of Europe’s food with only 1 percent of the continent’s farmland.

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FuturologyBot t1_je1vffx wrote

The following submission statement was provided by /u/filosoful:


The Netherlands’ hyper-efficient food system is both a triumph and a cautionary tale

Going back nearly 80 years, anxieties over food security have driven the tiny Netherlands to become a global leader in agriculture despite having just half the land area of South Carolina.

After a horrific famine during World War II killed more than 20,000 Dutch, the government heavily invested in its agricultural sector through subsidies, rural infrastructure, and industrialization.

Two decades ago, it pledged to grow twice as much food with half as many resources, a goal it has already far exceeded. Today, the Netherlands produces 6 percent of Europe’s food with only 1 percent of the continent’s farmland.


Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/12501ku/how_will_we_feed_10_billion_people_by_2050_ask/je1q95k/

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Parafault t1_je2fb3g wrote

I wonder how much of that is reliant on extreme fertilizer and pesticide use

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massaman_man t1_je2g9f2 wrote

Personally, I don't think the world will even get to 10 billion, or even 9 billion. The major population models don't account for things like climate change, better education, better economics, and things like that. The world is developing so fast that unless we actively prevent all developing countries from improving quality of life through draconian foreign policies, then we are not likely to see that many people

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klaveruhh t1_je2n983 wrote

Well we have an ongoing crisis cause our agriculture sector is polluting too much. And people just voted on a party that supports farmers and is just claiming more research should be done while they continue ruining nature.

So i guess quite a bit.

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Pikkornator t1_je2ts7y wrote

The farmers are getting handles with so much disrespect here in the netherlands and to be honest i think its time to leave the EU

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ShockMonkey2001 t1_je2weib wrote

According to another recently posted article the world population is decreasing. Would this mean the Netherlands is solving a problem that doesn't exist?

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AeternusDoleo t1_je4ha90 wrote

Fertilizer, yes ('though limited, as the natural river delta and drained peat bogs that make up the bulk of our nation tend to be fertile ground). Pesticides not so much.

Fertilizer production (from livestock industries), use and the nitrate emissions it causes are a major source of controversy in our nation at the moment.

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merien_nl t1_je5e3u3 wrote

The cautionary part did not get through in the submission statement. But as you can imagine in a tiny country with 17 million people and 12 million pigs we have a few problems. Big problems, both ecological and political. So yes, learn from the Dutch, but learn all, there are huge downsides.

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Dudecalion t1_jebs77k wrote

I saw that article. I also recall reading an article, in Omni I think, not long after we hit 4 billion, that world population should peak in the early 21st century at around 6 billion people because of declining birth rates. Imaging what happens if they cure aging?

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