SDG 2 Zero hunger

SDG 2 relates to the aim of eliminating hunger and ensuring that everyone has access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food. The goal is to achieve this by 2030. In richer countries, where malnutrition and food insecurity are less common, the main focus is on reducing food waste. This is why the focus here is on sustainable food production.

• The amount of land used for agricultural production is decreasing, and so is the efficiency of agricultural production.
• Although food production is becoming more sustainable, the Netherlands is at the bottom of the EU rankings for livestock density, protein-rich crops and organic farming.
• Nitrogen uptake is relatively low, indicating environmental losses and poor resource utilisation.

Dashboard and indicators

Colour codes and notes to the dashboards in the Monitor of Well-being

Since malnutrition and food insecurity are uncommon in the Netherlands, this dashboard focuses on our food production processes, their sustainability and their impact on the living environment. Ensuring optimal soil quality, now and in the future, is also important for SDG 15 Life on land.

Resources and opportunities refers to the amount of land and labour available to produce food. Food production resources in the Netherlands are declining. The amount of arable land, for instance, is shrinking: in 2024, land used for arable farming, horticulture and livestock farming accounted for 43.6 percent of the Netherlands’ total land and water area. The production value of agriculture per unit of labour is decreasing. Until 2015, this indicator rose almost continuously, peaking at 202.7 million euros per 1,000 labour years (in constant 2015 prices). Since then, the production value per unit of labour has fallen to 183 million euros per 1,000 labour years in 2024. Although the production value of agriculture is high (only Denmark is more productive per unit of labour), the Netherlands is gradually losing its lead.

Use refers to how food is produced. All indicators show that food production is becoming more sustainable. However, the Netherlands is at the bottom of the EU rankings for three of the four indicators that can be compared internationally.

While organic farming and protein-rich crop cultivation are growing, these sectors remain smaller than in most other EU countries. In 2024, certified organic farms and those in transition accounted for 5.1 percent of the total arable land area. With the cultivation of protein-rich crops such as legumes, soybeans and alfalfa, more sustainably produced food will become available, including as an alternative to meat. However, these crops currently occupy only a modest proportion of the total arable land area, at 0.9 percent in 2024.

In 2020, the Netherlands had the highest livestock density in Europe, with 3.45 livestock units per hectare of arable land. Since then, this has decreased to 3.2 units per hectare in 2024. Livestock density is calculated by converting the number of farm animals of different species and ages into livestock units. This includes cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry and rabbits. High livestock density contributes to food production, but comes at the expense of animal welfare and the environment. The number of livestock units per hectare of arable land has been in continuous decline since 2016.

In 2023, 73 percent of dairy cows were grazed to some extent, and this figure is rising. Grazing contributes to the sustainability of agriculture: cows at pasture cause less ammonia volatilisation than those kept indoors, and grazing improves animal welfare.

By 2023, antibiotic use was 0.05 grams per kilogram of live weight. Antibiotics may be used in livestock farming to stimulate animal growth. However, the large-scale (or careless) use of antibiotics can lead to resistant bacteria, which can have consequences for both animal and human health. The use of antibiotics in livestock farming is decreasing. The administration of antibiotics as growth promoters has been banned across the EU since 2006, which led to a sharp decrease in consumption between 2007 and 2013 (from 0.23 grams to 0.09 grams). In subsequent years, usage continued to trend downwards.

In 2023, 242 kilograms of chemical pesticides were sold for every million euros of agricultural production. This was the lowest level in the EU (taking into account the 15 countries for which comparison was possible). However, the intensity of agricultural production in the Netherlands means that pesticide use is associated with significant environmental damage. The picture would be different if this indicator were based on the amount of pesticides used per hectare of arable land. By this metric, use is relatively high, putting the Netherlands near the bottom of the EU ranking.

Outcomes refers to food affordability and the impact of food production on the living environment and animal welfare. Outcome indicators show no upward or downward trends.

In 2024, 91 percent of total phosphorus inputs and 60 percent of total nitrogen inputs were taken up and removed by crops. Nitrogen that is not absorbed evaporates or remains in the soil, and is subsequently washed out into ground and surface water. When it comes to phosphorus, balanced fertilisation is within sight. Higher uptake of input nutrients (especially livestock manure and mineral fertilisers) indicates lower environmental losses and better resource utilisation. If phosphorus uptake exceeds 100 percent, it means that phosphorus is being extracted from the soil. Because of this, the impact of food production on local environments and water quality is linked to nitrogen and phosphorus uptake rates.

According to the Sustainable Food Monitor published by Wageningen University (WUR), 37 percent of meat sold in the Netherlands had a sustainability label in 2023. Since 2016, the share of organic food in total food spending has been stable, hovering around 3 percent. According to the EU’s definition of food waste, the average person in the Netherlands wasted 129 kilograms of food in 2022. This represented a 12.8 percent decrease compared to 2021, putting the Netherlands in the middle of the EU ranking.

Subjective assessment refers to how satisfied people are with food quality and supply, and with the living environment and animal welfare. No suitable indicators are currently available for this category.