The role of BoerenBruxselPaysans is to facilitate and increase local food production and processing within the Brussels-Capital Region and its food-related territory using ecological production methods, for the benefit of consumers in Brussels. It aims to encourage the use of short circuits, promote sustainable food and stimulate participation in local food movements.
- 18 September 2019
Through infrastructures, plots, an agricultural test space and methodological and technical support for project managers, BoerenBruxselPaysans has driven a shift towards sustainable food for consumers in Brussels using a reproducible model.
The aim of BoerenBruxselPaysans is to supply local, healthy and sustainable food to the residents of Brussels. It aims to encourage the latter's access to high-quality food via short circuits, raise awareness on sustainable food in all its aspects, and stimulate participation in local food movements.
The principal objective is support project managers across the entire sustainable food sector, from production to consumption.
An agricultural space to test the project
The project has been implemented by six partners: Bruxelles Environnement, the Municipality of Anderlecht, Le Début des Haricots, Maison verte et bleue, Terre-en-vue and Credal. It provides infrastructures, plots, and methodological and technical support for project managers in order to help them launch their activities.
BoerenBruxselPaysans has resulted in the creation of an agricultural test space that allows project managers to test their professional activity in a secure environment. During the test period, which is a minimum of three years, the project managers will have access to a plot, infrastructure and tools adapted to their needs in order to cultivate the land and sell their produce.
The test projects will also benefit from regular technical support, as well as ad hoc support with finance, marketing and sourcing of land for future use.
Creating a food processing hall
To date, 15 projects have been undertaken: 12 for market gardening, two for aromatic and medicinal herbs, and one for flowers. Three project managers have been established, two more are settling in and one has left the project.
BoerenBruxselPaysans has also resulted in the construction of infrastructures, such as La Ferme Du Chaudron, a future food processing hall which serves as a professional work tool by creating a processing and distribution hub aimed at sustainable food entrepreneurs in the Brussels--Capital Region who are keen to test out real operating conditions or do not have the necessary infrastructure.
Easier access to land
In terms of access to land, the project has made it possible to map out land potential in the Brussels-Capital Region, create a database on current land use, identify potential plots and to approach the owners or the authorities and the occupants. Land has been made available to project managers in order to support the launch of new agricultural projects. Two market gardening projects and a herbal garden have been established on communal sites in Neerpede, Anderlecht, via a lease agreement with the partner project Terre-en-vue. Two other projects are underway.
BoerenBruxselPaysans has implemented economic support in the form of sessions on collective information and individual guidance, as well as others on short circuits and processing.
And lastly, the project has involved citizens through events with the general public and awareness-raising workshops.
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Video: https://vimeo.com/235873781Total investment and European funding
Total investment for the ‘BoerenBruxselPaysans’ project is EUR 6 869 628; the European Regional Development Fund contribution is EUR 2 928 993 through the ‘ERDF PO Brussels Capital Region/EFRO OP Brussel Hoofdstedelijk Gewest’ cooperation programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority of “environment”.