Belgium

Belgium has a long-standing agricultural history. For centuries small-holders produced food for the population whereas larger farms produced the primary resources for a flourishing textile industry, such as flax and wool. For a long time, Belgian farming was characterised by a high degree of diversity, reflecting the diversity of agro-geological zones.

However, as in most European countries the diversity of agricultural models is diminishing quickly in Belgium following a structural decrease in the number of farms and growing land concentration. Between 1980 and 2014 67% of European farms disappeared. Wallonia and Flanders show the same trend, i.e. a yearly loss of 3.3%.