Agricultural buildings in the Netherlandsvision and developments

Dr.ir.Kees Lokhorst

With contributions of Gert-Jan Monteny, Jasper van Ruth,

Hendrik Jan van Dooren, Alfons Beldman, Peter Groot Koerkamp, Willem Schouten

and Eric Pijnappels

What is happening?

What will be the future dairy farm?

Utility

‘The greatest good for the greatest number’

Virtue

‘That what makes a person stand out to excel’

Duties and Rights

‘Don’t do to others what you would not like done to yourself’

What will be the future housing system for laying hens?

Inspiration for finishing pigs?

Or something different?

Partnership+

City agriculture

Which trends and needs are underlying to these pictures ?

Scaling up in perspective

• Is scaling up new?

• Boundaries are known

• Scope has been tremendously broadened

• No longer solely technology driven

• New ways of thinking and action are needed

(1) Is scaling up new?

• In ‘earlier times’– From ‘local markets’ to export– Scaling up was ‘more of the same’– Separation and specialization– Technology (mechanization and rationalization) was

important driving force

• 1980-2000– ‘Dairy Farm 2000’ en ‘Arable Farm 2000’– Innovative farming systems– Specific focus on optimization of farm processes

(2) Is scaling up new

• Today:– Environmental problems affect citizens– Food safety and Animal health influence

consumers– Farm management becomes transparent

(HACPP, media)– From farm processes to agribusiness production

systems (chain orientation)– Needs for new products (short cycle) – Social sound entrepreneurship

(2) Boundaries are known……

• AT LEAST: Qualitative

• Economics (a.o. concepts with increased depreciation)• Labor (one man farm, family farm, SME, …..)• Environment (ammonia, odor nuisance, nutrients)• Welfare (….)• Health (animal, human)• Product quality• Energy

• BUT: Quantitative ?

(3) Scope has been tremendously broadened

• From village, region and country till EU and world

• Communication gives great perspectives– With citizens and consumers– With colleagues– With animals, plants, etc

• Developments go faster and product life cycles become shorter- concept of ‘durable production means’ will get another perspective in shorter depreciation time and removable buildings

(4) No longer solely technology driven

• Further technological optimisation is needed to stay within boundaries, but …..

• …..we did not become happier of more technology (quote Prof. Lintsen)4.5 and on our contribution to idealistic

criteria (appreciation, self development, worries about our common future, etc.)

3.4 Happiness depends a.o. on our network (social relations), adaptability, and our freedom of act

2 Need for safety and security is also covered (with some reversion)

1 Primary biological needs for food, water, living and health are in our region ok

(5) New ways of thinking and action are needed

• Transition thinking is hot, but needs time and patience

• Complexity: culture, structure, technology

– changing institutional arrangements– Changing technology possibilities and

needs– Changing attitude of entrepreneurs,

consumers

• Several discussions on national and sectoral level to get an idea of how our future might be.

• Helps to set agenda for direction (goals) and speed for innovation and transition

10-15 jaar

Streefbeelden

Inspiratie en transitiepunten10-15 jaar

pioniers

brede praktijk

Praktijk

Toekomst

innovatieprojecten

25-30 jaar

Inspirerende voorbeelden

Praktijk

Toekomst

backcasting

Closing remarks

• Farmers and other participants in the food chain are part of the (world) society and have therefore to be open and transparent.

• Happiness, emotion, perception and idealistic criteria will give opportunities beside food deliverance and food safety.

• Concern of networks and communication will increase tremendously

• Speed of thinking, acting, flexibility and the possibilities to cooperate will determine the succes of organisations.

• People, organisations and (regional/sectoral) ‘handicaps’ ask for custom made solutions.

Also inspired

lets go back to the examples

What will be the future housing system for laying hens?

Production of eggs in Europe: is there a problem?

Natural production system

Welfare and health can’t be served both

how to preventAvian Influenza!

More sustainable, and robust!

Battery cages forbidden in 2012!

The image of free range systems?

Beak trimming forbidden in 2006

Economics of current alternatives?

Environmentalissues

The goals of the project

• Create a starting point for improvement & change to an innovative & sustainable egg production sector

by:• Design of new concepts for socially desirable production systems

• Development of a design method– To incorporate social terms like naturalness & robustness– Knowledge transfer and interaction– Further development of Methodical design approach

What are challenges & perspectives for the future?

production rewarded by society

Welfare and health in balance

Environmental friendly production

Sustainable production

Happy hens with good production

No more public debate and threats

Satisfied poultry farmers

Better price for a better product

The philosophy of the project

• Think the other way around! Possibilities and opportunities in stead of threats & obstacles

• Design complete new concepts! debate on pros&cons of current system hamper innovation

• Better & deeper analysis of opinions, feelings and views of people, besides literature, is necessary / fruitful

• Do this in a smart way to enhance innovation in practice

Project & activity scheme

Stakeholder analysis

Societal ideal images / views

Knowledge network

Naturalness

Robustness

Knowledge network

Naturalness

Robustness

Communication

Strateg

ic prob

lem d

efinition

Prog

ram of D

emand

s/requirem

ents

Diver-gence

Con-

verg

enc

Methodical design

New

concepts &

desig

ns

Result www.houdenvanhennen.nl

From the strategic problem definition: • Happy hens: ethological & physiological needs fulfilled• Society: positive & truthful image of the designs (differentiated!)• Poultry farmer

– Three roles: Animal keeper, entrepreneur, labourer himself– Three wishes: care for animals, income, good working conditions

• Outdoor access: necessary? Why? for whom? Animal health?

Programme of DemandsSolution finding & design: elevate contradictions, find new solutions

Inspiration for finishing pigs?

Background

Simple approach: Animal welfare is — highly relevant to society— complex— highly related to housing conditions— interest-, emotion- and value-laden

Make it simple: animal oriented designbased on available scientific information ! to reduce the social / market dispute

Functional approach!

design based on animal needs facilitate natural behaviour elements

In other words:

What animals can do is not normative for the design,

It’s what they want to do, where they have motivation for

Potentially controversial

•Sociality•Nutrition•Safety•Exploration•Thermocomfort•Health•…….

N 11*

*Bracke 2001; Schouten et al. 2001

•……•. . . .• m2

• # animals• air composition• T• …….

N 59

RequirementsNeeds

Inspiration and functional design

r u s te n

m e s te n m e s te n

e te n e te n

e x p lo r a t ie

3 5 m 2

2 2 m 2

1 7 ,5 m 21 7 ,5 m 2

8 m 2

c o n tr o le

Also inspired, find each other, talk to people and act