Flemish and Dutch farmers strive for local protein production

In Flanders and the Netherlands, the rising demand for locally produced plant proteins, driven by sustainability goals, market opportunities, and the Flemish Protein Strategy, is encouraging farmers to cultivate crops such as chickpeas, soybeans, faba beans, and lupin for human consumption. This shift offers clear benefits, such as diversified income, reduced input costs, improved soil health, and decreased reliance on imports. However, local marketing channels remain limited, and both organic and conventional farmers continue to struggle with securing stable markets and fair prices. To address these challenges, two Operational Group projects are working to strengthen regional supply chains and foster collaboration between farmers and buyers, aiming to ensure consistent supply and fair compensation.

The Flemish Protein Farmers (Vlaamse Eiwitboeren) and the Protein Farmers of the Netherlands (Eiwitboeren van Nederland) illustrate how plant protein self-sufficiency can be strengthened by integrating sustainable plant-based protein production into diverse value chains and regions, while also addressing the challenges posed by climate change.

The Flemish Protein Farmers project maps production and marketing, analyses costs and market value, and compares key protein crops. It also connects farmers with buyers to develop fair pricing models and risk-sharing agreements.. This initiative has already built a strong network to support new regional value chains.

The Protein Farmers of the Netherlands (Eiwitboeren van Nederland) has taken a similar approach that focused on dry-harvestable legumes such as faba beans, lupin, soybeans, and chickpeas for human consumption. These crops are used in various foods, with leftovers repurposed for animal feed. Within this initiative, Dutch farmers have successfully formed a producers' organisation to collectively market their crops.

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