Organic farming is more popular than ever in Wallonia, with 117 new farms converting to organic during 2018; Wallonia itself represents more than 90% of the organic farming space and 77% of farms in Belgium.
For "Organic Week", the non-profit association BioWallonie has announced that the number of certified organic farms in Wallonia has increased by 7% (1,742 farms) and the amount of agricultural land has also increased (81,087 ha). In 2018, 117 new farms converted to organic.
Between 2009 and 2018, expenditure on organic produce tripled in Wallonia. Organic produce accounted for 4.8% of foodstuffs in 2018, compared with 3.5% in 2017, and has more than tripled in ten years. This sustained consumer demand has encouraged farmers to increase the amount of land dedicated to organic fruit (+17%) and vegetables (+50%).
To continue this momentum, the Walloon government has approved a strategic development plan for organic farming; its goals have been revised upwards due to the enthusiasm generated by this return to a more natural form of consumption. One of the main aims of this plan is to reach 2,000 certified organic farms by the end of 2020 and have 18% of agricultural land dedicated to this type of farming.
Source : le Vif
