Terre-en-vue

Terre-en-vue brings together citizens, organisations and public players who want to facilitate access to land in Belgium for agro-ecological farms.
Produktion und Verbrauch sollen sich positiv auf die biologische Vielfalt auswirken

Terre-en-vue

Started in: 2011

Project by: Terre-en-vue

Started in: 2011

The project

The Terre-en-vue movement (made up of its 3 structures: asbl, cooperative and foundation) brings together citizens, farmers, organisations and public players.

In practical terms, Terre-en-vue:

  • acquires farmland with the help of public savings to protect its very long-term function as a source of food, and rents this land to agro-ecological farmers, in compliance with farm lease legislation (long term, limited rent and freedom of cultivation) => see the farms supported;
  • creates a movement of committed citizens who take ownership of the issues surrounding access to land, debate these issues, develop solutions and take the message to the political level => see the activities organised;
  • supports public and private landowners in giving priority to making their land available to agro-ecological farmers, in compliance with farm lease legislation (long term, limited tenancy and freedom to grow crops);
  • formulates policy proposals to change the land tenure system and facilitate access to land for agro-ecological projects => see advocacy.

Numbers of 2025:

  • 9.3 million euros invested
  • 4400 cooperative members
  • 270 hectares bought free for agro-ecological farming
  • 10 public landowner partners

Project location

Wallonia and Brussels-Capital region

Contribution(s)

1 public and/or private entities

Project costs

More than 500.000 €

Participant(s)

Terre-en-vue works with its Dutch-speaking counterpart De Landgenoten, which is active in Flanders.
Structurally, Terre-en-vue is developing strong partnerships, especially with six networks:

  1. the Réseau de Soutien à l’Agriculture Paysanne, which organises an annual campaign on 17 April, the world day of peasant struggles
  2. Agroecology in action, with participation in an advocacy working group
  3. the Walloon Rural Development Network, with participation in the ‘Innovation Route’ and the organisation of communication events
  4. the European ‘Access to land’ network, which brings together a number of similar initiatives in Europe, including: Terre de Liens in France, Soil Association in the UK, RegionalWert AG and Kulturland EG in Germany, AIAB Lazio in Italy, Eco ruralis in Romania, Xarxa in Spain, etc.
  5. the Agricultural Land Platform (PFFA), which brings together various Walloon associations to discuss land issues. It was through this platform that Terre-en-vue closely monitored the reform of the Bail à ferme (legislation regulating the leasing of agricultural land).
  6. the ‘occupons le terrain’ (let’s occupy the land) network, initiated by FIAN Belgium, with the aim of supporting and connecting groups working to prevent the concrete encroachment of agricultural land (zoning and urbanisation).

How are the  criteria of the objective met?

Biodiversitäts-freundliche Finanzströme

  • Reduce ecological damage caused by investments: Remove and/or phase out harmful investments, exclude projects when they are detrimental to biodiversity, …
  • Redirect financial resources causing damage to biodiversity to investments that support biodiversity.
  • Develop and promote alternative financial tools in support of biodiversity (e.g. granting reduced mortgage/loans to encourage companies’ transition; investment products directed towards green investments).
  • Fund ecological and biodiversity-friendly initiatives and projects.
  • Ensure and show traceability and transparency of investments.
  • Align portfolios with international/European/national biodiversity objectives
  • Link biodiversity and climate change funding (every climate investment has to include biodiversity-related challenges).
  • Incorporate biodiversity-related issues into the projects/measures that the entity designs/implements (e.g. taking biodiversity into account during the construction/renovation of its buildings with regard to the ground as well as the materials used).
  • Link the marketing of certain products to ESG standards (environmental, social and governance criteria)/sustainability/biodiversity.
  • Verlangen Sie von Partnern und Kunden eine transparente Finanzstrategie, die die biologische Vielfalt unterstützt.

Possible initiatives in which the project is involved :

Das Projekt ist nicht Teil einer bestehenden Initiative.

Long-term maintenance

The Terre-en-vue movement is made up of 3 legal structures:

  1. a non-profit association: funded by the public authorities (subsidies) and by donors, it is responsible for running the movement via the salaried team and the involvement of its volunteers. It is a meeting place for citizens and farmers, a forum for debate on private property, the common good and the agro-ecological transition.
  2. a cooperative society approved as a social enterprise: financed by cooperative members (shares), it buys farmland and rents it to farmers.
  3. a foundation: financed by donations (money and land), it supports the association and the cooperative with a view to perpetuating the movement.

Benefits

  • Facilitating access to land in Belgium (Wallonia and Brussels-Capital) for farmers with agro-ecological projects.
  • Protect land from speculation by collective ownership and management of land as a common good.
  • Preserve the environment and living organisms by supporting sustainable agricultural projects.
  • Cultivate solidarity between farmers, citizens and the land to meet everyone’s needs, while respecting the autonomy of each individual.
  • To help revitalise the rural economy by supporting diversified agricultural projects and participating in short circuits and direct sales systems. Strengthen the power of citizens, including farmers, to act in their territories, through a lifelong education approach and with a view to land democracy.
  • Terre-en-vue is joining an initiative, launched by Terre de Liens, to set up a network at European level, with the aim of sharing experiences and lobbying at European level, where the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in particular is decided.

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