Landbouwpraxis

Landbouwpraxis is the Dutch term for agricultural practice and refers to the practical methods used by farmers to cultivate crops and manage livestock. It includes planning, soil management, irrigation and drainage, fertilization, pest and disease control, harvesting, post-harvest handling, and animal husbandry. The choice of practices depends on local conditions such as climate, soil type, water availability, pest pressure, market demands, and regulatory frameworks.

Key components include soil and nutrient management (soil preparation, crop rotation, cover crops, addition of organic matter through compost or manure, soil testing, and nutrient budgeting); crop production (seed selection, sowing or planting, irrigation scheduling, weed control, pest and disease management, harvest timing); pest and disease management (integrated pest management, monitoring, biological control, cultural practices, and targeted chemical control when necessary); livestock care (housing, feeding, breeding, health care, welfare, and manure management); and post-harvest handling and storage.

Approaches vary from conventional intensive farming to organic and agroecological or sustainable farming. Across these, landbouwpraxis aims to balance short-term productivity with long-term resource stewardship, soil and biodiversity health, water-use efficiency, and climate resilience. Policy and advisory frameworks, certification schemes, and ongoing agricultural research influence and support practice, including knowledge transfer, farmer training, and innovations in automation, data-driven decision-making, and precision farming.