Nowadays the Technology Assesment Programme is called the Platform Agriculture, Innovation and Society. The Platform is part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. It is an independent committee and has been operating since 1993. It started as part of the former Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.
Goal
The goal of the Platform is to clarify social issues, related to scientific and technological developments, within the scope of the Ministry. The Platform advises directly to the Minister. The advice is based on research, conducted by the Platform. And on related conferences.
Publications
Most of the advisory and research reports are in Dutch. However, some reports are also published in English. Especially in case they have an international component. The English publications of the Platform are listed below.
June 2011
Press release: Stress test of European agriculture and food system
March 2011
Press release: European livestock sector is vulnerable to natural disasters and geopolitcs
October 2009
The Steering Committee has written a policy memorandum on the
impending global shortage of phosphate. This memorandum is largely based
on the report from Plant Research International. Even more than with
other resources such as energy and water, when the phosphate reserves
are gone, no more will be available, at least with current technology.
And there are no substitutes.
Phosphorous is a vital element of all life, and its availability in the
form of phosphate is consequently an essential component of the carrying
capacity of the Earth. If the current trend in consumption continues,
the mineral phosphate reserves that are known to be available with
current technology will be exhausted within a century. This is very
short notice for such a vital element, even more so because geopolitical
developments could possibly disrupt the market long before then.
Policy memorandum: 'Phosphate - from surplus to shortage
Report form Plant Research International: Phosphorus in agriculture
Advice to the minister of Agriculture
December 2008
The European food supply, certainly until 2020, is resilient to possible food calamities in Europe and elsewhere in the world. The EU is largely independent from imported food, with the exception of soy. But even a sudden halt to all soy imports would not threaten the food needs of the population. However, the prices for meat and grain would undergo severe shocks. Consequently, the EU would be wise to reduce its dependence on soy imports.
This is the conclusion of the report Resilience of the European food system to calamities of the Wageningen institute Plant Research International. The Technology Assessment Steering Group commissioned this study in order to determine whether the continuing globalization and liberalization of world trade could undermine the food security of Europe.
Press Release: 'The European food supply is resilient'
'Resilience of the European food system to calamities'
April 2008
Consumers can influence their own health by choosing their food. But the choice of food also affects other aspects such as the environment, the climate and the third world. The Steering Committee has made recommendations on how the government can encourage consumers to take these various aspects of food into account. These recommendations are based partly on a report written by David Barling of the Centre for Food Policy, City University, London:
'Food safety norms, public health and consumers: international governance challenges'
For more information, please contact:
C.W. (Carin) Rougoor (PhD)
CLM
P.O. Box 62
NL-4100 AB Culemborg
The Netherlands
T +31-345-470769
E crougoor@clm.nl
