Two years ago I transferred from the international organic EU-lobby to the development of organic regional cooperations. Essentially, a transfer from the never ending discussions about the causes and levels of residues in organic to the inspiring task of creating networks at a regional level between a wide range of actors. The concept of organic regions and cities has been become established in several EU-countries over the past few years. And, it is increasingly taken seriously – because it works.
The power of cooperation between committed regional and local actors is unstoppable. It can be seen as a direct reaction to the seventy years of globalization and cost-efficiency production in agri-food business, that has caused so many negative impacts for our planet, environment and health. These are exactly the challenges that regions and cities face today. In our conversations with local political leaders, it is clear they feel a responsibility to find solutions to the inherent contradictions between intensive farming production and efforts to protect a healthy environment for their community.
Most of the products and profits of harmful intensive production leave the region, but the damage – like soil-degradation, biodiversity loss, air pollution and health costs – falls on the local environments and communities. Those negative impacts are important motivators for regional governors to embrace the concept of organic regions and cities. The concept is driven by an ambition to increase empowerment and of connection of different actors.
A very good example is in catering, the area in which Michaël Wilde and I experienced our first regional project “BioLokaal Catering Brabant”. The catering companies in the project were already very committed to serving healthy and sustainable food. So, when a group of ten municipalities and private companies asked them to offer more organic, they were able to speed up from 2.5% to 12.5% in just three months and are now on target to achieve 50% organic and/or local in 2026.
Many more project ideas have been developed over the past year as part of our responsibilities for coordinating and facilitating the development of the “Bio Regio Brabant” organic region, which is soon likely to be named the first official organic region in the Netherlands. In 2025, more regions in the Netherlands will initiate Bio Region actions and projects. It is a perfect example of ‘bottom-up’ empowerment of regional governments, organic networks, conventional businesses, NGOs, health care institutes and schools brought together to serve local societal needs with the benefits of healthy regional organic food and farming.
Author: Bavo van den Idsert, Organic Consultant
Published in the BIOFACH 2025 Bio Eco Actual Special Edition.
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