Natuurboerdery

BACKGROUND

More than two decades ago, ZZ2 started a journey that steered away from conventional, industrial agriculture towards a system that aims to farm in harmony with nature. We call this journey Natuurboerdery.

PHILOSOPHICAL FRAMEWORK

ZZ2 created their own set of rules for economically, socially and environmentally sustainable farming, inspired by insights gained from living ecosystems and classical philosophy within a living, open system.

DEFINING NATUURBOERDERY®

Natuurboerdery® is more than an effort to combat the systemic problems of large scale industrial farming (e.g. pollution, health hazards, agricultural sprawl and dehumanised labour conditions).

It is a complete philosophical break with the industrial past.

SOIL AND PLANT NUTRITION

SOIL HEALTH was the first, and remains the most fundamental area of change to Natuurboerdery® practices. Soil ecosystems are diverse and complex and healthy soils play a major role in growing productive plants.

PLANT PROTECTION

Concomitant with, and boosted by, the healthy soil strategy was the drive for healthy plants and produce. That means moving away from easy, "quick fix" chemical solutions towards more complex biological solutions.

WATER MANAGEMENT

Whether natural or cultivated, healthy ecosystems rely primarily on water. ZZ2 balances the natural environment with technology to conserve and use water sparingly.

NATURE CONSERVATION

We fully realise that healthy natural ecosystems around us are not only the measure of our own agricultural system's health, but that our survival and future prosperity depend on their existence.

LOGISTICS AND TECHNOLOGY

The application of best science and technology is an integral part of Natuurboerdery®. With “best” we not only imply most efficient, but also healthy technology. Healthy means least environmentally harmful and most sustainable.

CULTIVATION PRACTICES

The Natuurboerdery® philosophy is most visibly applied in farming operations themselves. Here the aim is to construct and maintain an artificial, healthy farming ecosystem in analogy to existing natural, functional ecosystems.

POST HARVEST LOGISTICS

A crucial aspect of healthy technology in the fresh produce industry is the post-production chain. This includes our quest and practices to conserve energy and supply food with a low and ever decreasing carbon footprint to our customers.

STAKEHOLDERS

Healthy relationships with all our stakeholders are an integral part of Natuurboerdery®. Learning from nature that all forms of antagonism (e.g. competition and exploitation) are expensive and to be avoided, we make a conscious effort to build positive symbiotic relationships with all people we deal with.

TRADE

Through healthy relationships ZZ2 strives, as part of the Natuurboerdery® philosophy, to act as an enabler of entrepreneurship in the fresh produce industry. We believe in the natural market forces of supply and demand determined by the national fresh produce markets, thus acting in the best interest of our customers to provide affordable food.