Happy faces at the Southwest Drenthe Area Cooperative in Ruinerwold. Supplied photo
Over 40 farmers in Southwest Drenthe will be able to make use of a financial contribution from the province over the next three years to make farming more nature-inclusive. Last week, the Strive and Action Plan submitted by the Southwest Drenthe Area Cooperative on behalf of farmers and various organizations was approved.
The province is thus investing two times €200,000 to actually implement the plans. On Thursday, Deputy Henk Jumelet paid a visit to the agricultural area to obtain detailed information.
“The first results will already be visible next summer,” says Jan van Goor on behalf of the area cooperative, which has a coordinating role in the whole and works together with Agrarische Natuur Drenthe to deal with the measures. “The farmers can get to work right away. For example, work is being done to improve biodiversity around and in the grassland, hedges are used as an alternative to fencing, trees are planted and nest boxes installed.”
Planning from the bottom up
A small selection of a range of solutions and action points that have been brought in by the farmers themselves and therefore also have a great chance of success. “The plans really come from the bottom up and that is quite special. Each farmer participates at his own level and possibilities. You also see that they enthuse each other and share knowledge. That is wonderful to see.”
Van Goor is proud that this unique project is now receiving this recognition. Together with the province of Drenthe, LTO Noord, Het Drentse Landschap, Natuurmonumenten, Staatsbosbeheer, DAJK, Agrarische Natuur Drenthe, Landscape Management Drenthe, TBOs and the Nature and Environment Federation Drenthe, we are working on realizing nature-inclusive agriculture in Drenthe. A number of years ago, the joint agenda for this was Farmer, Burger, Nature Drenthe drawn up. In the run-up to this, agricultural entrepreneur Marie-José Hooch Antink from Koekange has conducted research. She asked the farmers what ideas they had and how they wanted to implement them themselves. This has resulted in the Southwest Drenthe Target and Action Plan.
Vital countryside
On the basis of this plan, in which the farmers were also closely involved, the provincial contribution was allocated to the Nijeveen-Kolderveen and Ruinerwold-Koekange areas. The ultimate goal is to create development space for robust sustainable agriculture and improved biodiversity. In addition, a well-functioning nature network and a high-quality living environment in a vital countryside. “In this way we preserve nature, but also the agricultural business community,” concludes Van Goor.