The Netherlands’ reputation as a major agricultural exporter looks different when measured in land use, animal feed, calories and protein, according to research from Wageningen University & Research. The study concludes that the country’s net contribution to the global food supply is more limited than export value alone suggests.
Researchers shifted the focus from gross export figures to a broader accounting of food systems, including imported food, feed and the agricultural land required abroad to support Dutch production. The analysis combined domestic land use with embedded land use in imports to evaluate the Netherlands’ overall food production capacity.
Dutch agriculture uses about 1.6 million hectares of land domestically. However, the food system also relies on an estimated 4.7 million hectares of agricultural land abroad, largely tied to imported feed and food inputs. The study finds that while the Netherlands exports large volumes of agricultural products, it imports more calories and protein than it exports, making it a net importer of food energy and protein when viewed through a land-based accounting framework.
Livestock production plays a central role in this balance. Imported feed supports high animal populations and substantial exports of animal products, but also increases reliance on land outside the country. The study finds that reducing or eliminating imported feed would significantly reduce animal product exports while sharply lowering foreign land use.
The researchers also examined how dietary shifts could affect land demand. Diets aligned with Dutch nutritional guidelines, vegan diets or a land-efficient model require less agricultural land than current consumption patterns. Under those scenarios, the Netherlands could theoretically produce enough food for an additional 10 million to 18 million people using existing land. However, doing so would eliminate capacity for other land uses such as nature restoration, bioenergy production and bio-based materials.
A land-efficient dietary model used in the study emphasizes plant-based foods while still including small amounts of animal products such as dairy, eggs, fish and limited meat. Those animal products are primarily sourced from animals fed on grass, byproducts and other biomass not suitable for direct human consumption.
The study emphasizes that international trade remains important, particularly for commodities that cannot be produced domestically, but suggests that future agricultural exports would likely shift toward plant-based products and knowledge-based outputs. It also highlights the potential role of the Netherlands in agricultural innovation and technology rather than high-volume commodity exports.
Researchers note that the findings are based on modeling scenarios that explore theoretical land-use outcomes and do not account for economic, social or welfare implications of restructuring food production or trade.
Source: Wageningen University & Research, """Does the Netherlands feed the world? Study challenges a familiar view of Dutch agriculture