Agricultural suitability for arable farming

The report was drawn up at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture for the purpose of examining whether there are any arguments to protect fertile agricultural land. Fertile agricultural lands are defined in the reporting as land suitable for agriculture based on physical, chemical and biological properties, with maximum crop yield at minimum environmental impact and minimal use of excipients. The maps Agricultural suitability of arable and pasture farming have been drawn up by determining the reduced yield (depression of yields) in relation to optimal soil and hydrological conditions where fertilisers and pesticides are sufficiently available, but not irrigation. The yield loss rates for water nuisance and moisture deficiency determined. Land with yield loss rates of 0-15 % are agriculturally best suited for arable and pasture farming, 15-40 % less suitable for agriculture but in use thanks to the many tools (fertilisers, irrigation, etc.). > 40 % limited for agriculture. As stated in the definition, the environmental impact is part of soil fertility. In the report, the agricultural suitability is combined with environmental impact with phosphorus and copper. Reporting shows that part of the Netherlands cannot be defined ‘fertile’ because of the current environmental pressure and/or quality. NB. The map covers areas that were already in agricultural use around 1900 (see 5.1) agricultural land in the drained polders after 1900. The areas that were already in use as agricultural land in 1900 can be considered as relatively suitable land and in any case more suitable than the lands that were nature at the time and were later extracted. In South Holland, after 1900, no extractions took place anymore. Data for Figure 5.2 from Alterra Report 1693 Yield depression in arable crops due to flooding and moisture shortage. Expressed in % of potential yield. Both in case of moisture deficiency and water nuisance, growth slows down. In wet soils, the seed and leg dates are often later than in dry soils, and growth starts later in spring. In the autumn, there are many crop losses in wet soils.