Soil vitality and sustainable and healthy food roadshow a success

The first University of the North roadshow of 2024 took place on Wednesday 10 April at the Biosintrum in Oosterwolde. The theme was soil vitality and its relationship to sustainable and healthy food.

Many interested parties from knowledge institutions and the public and business sectors found their way to the Biosintrum in Oosterwolde. The Biosintrum is also known as the heart of Friesland’s biobased economy, and houses the Leer- en Kenniscentrum Bodem (Soil Education and Knowledge Centre), which is run with the cooperation of Van Hall Larenstein, Aeres MBO, Wetsus, the Friesland Water Board, the province of Friesland, and companies such as ECOStyle and Bioclear Earth, among others.

Hot topic

Soil vitality and its relation to sustainable and healthy food is a hot topic and high on the agenda of farmers, politicians, governments, companies in the food chain and nature organizations, as well as the knowledge institutions. This is not surprising when you consider that a vital soil forms the basis for a safe and healthy society. The roadshow therefore focused on how we as educational and knowledge institutions, in collaboration with our partners in the region, can make a strong case for a vital soil system, a sustainable food supply, and a healthy society.

The Northern Netherlands region a model for sustainable soil management

Following the opening by Nancy Huttenga, programme manager of the University of the North, Emiel Elferink, lector of Sustainable Soil Management at Van Hall Larenstein, took the floor. He talked about the importance of healthy soil, the activities of the Soil Education and Knowledge Centre, and various initiatives to make the Northern Netherlands a model region in sustainable soil management. He also referred to the NWO Horizon project that was recently awarded to the three northern provinces with the aim of creating a living lab in the field of sustainable soil management in the Northern Netherlands.

The protein transition and the importance of microbiomes

Martina Sura-de Jong, lector in Protein Transition at Van Hall Larenstein, discussed the necessity of the protein transition and the challenges involved. She also talked about the importance of microbiomes for healthy soils, plants, and humans and the ‘One Health’ concept. Using international, national, and regional examples, she showed why the Northern Netherlands is the perfect place to put the protein transition into practice.

Education for a healthy region

Finally, Alexandra Da Costa Rodrigues Alves and student Wisanne Kooi talked about the Sustainable and Healthy Food Master’s programme at Hanze UAS launched in February. In two years’ time, this new programme should deliver the first professionals to guide the transition to sustainable and healthy food. The Master’s programme has common ground with many disciplines. For example, graduates could work in product development, the transition in horticulture and arable farming, and guiding people towards a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Roadshow #2 in autumn 2024

The next roadshow of the University of the North is scheduled for after the summer, on Wednesday 9 October. The programme will be announced immediately after the summer holidays.