Niels Louwaars works at Plantum in the Netherlands and is an external member of the Department of Business, Consumer and Competence Studies, Wageningen University & Research. He focuses on seed systems and policies and regulations in addition to serving as a columnist for European Seed. Check out this year’s columns here:
We are the Guardians of Modern Agriculture!
The Farm-to-Fork Strategy (F2F) of the Green Deal, presented by the European Commission in May 2020 triggered a wide range of responses. “It is a move back in time”; “finally policy attention to sustainability”; “the goals are impossible”; “it doesn’t provide a sustainable business model for farmers”; “this transition is unrealistic in such a short time”, etcetera.
When Will Bio-Reaganomics Finally Come To An End?
Why is it that we cannot create a working system of biodiversity management? Debates have been going on about the question how to conserve biodiversity, promote its use and share the benefits arising from such use. It surfaced roughly at the time that I graduated and entered the seed sector some 40 years ago…
Sustainable Seed Systems, a basis for UNFSS!
It is good to look at the whole food chain as a system where the weakest link defines its strength. As the system starts with seeds, the question arises what are “sustainable seed systems?” In my view, these are systems that over time secure the availability of affordable seeds that can yield acceptable quantities of preferred product quality.
From Moral to Legal Obligation – Have We Done Enough?
Is corporate social responsibility becoming a legal liability? That is a question with the upcoming legislation on International Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Europe.
