This spring, the research group Innovative Entrepreneurship in Rural Areas at the HAS University of Applied Sciences will start new research projects. Next to being the founders of Nature^Squared, Daan Groot and Erwin van Woudenberg are also professors at HAS University of Applied Sciences, and as such lead research programs around business models for nature-inclusive agriculture.
Nine research projects in total will start this spring:
- Three studies will be carried out in the field of climate-resilient agriculture. Studies will investigate the business case for parcels of land that experience wetting or drought. In addition, research is being conducted into the reed chain, which is seen as a promising wet crop.
- There are also three studies taking place related to food forests. In recent years, a lot of research has already been carried out into the business model of food forests. This year, we will further build on these results. For example, research is being carried into developing a calculation model that entrepreneurs can use to calculate their own business cases based on well-founded decisions. In addition, research is being conducted into innovative forms of financing to bridge the years in which there is little or no cash flow. Finally, a group of students is investigating the possibilities for food forest entrepreneurs to arrive at strong business concepts that hold added value. This contributes to a good price for a large volume and shortens the payback period.
- We are also doing research into the spatial effects of circular agriculture on the national scale. What does closed-loop agriculture mean and what would Dutch agriculture look like if it were organized on the basis of these principles? How much cattle will there still be in the Netherlands, and how many hectares of arable land can be fertilized with their manure? The cycle Soil – Plant – Animal – Manure provides the basis of this study.
- Also, new research will be carried out into the concept of the Nature Field. Once again, the scale of the research site will be increased, putting the concept in practice in a field of at least 50 hectares.
- Finally, a study will investigate how to communicate to a wide audience how much a farmer earns with respect to the price of a variety of products that can be found in the supermarket, and what difference a small increase in prices can make in terms of sustainability.
Interested in the results? These are expected mid-July. You can always contact Daan Groot, daan@natuurverdubbelaars.nl, 06 3824 8897.