Food

In this layer, we focus on the ‘food’ need system: what resources do we use? What is the impact of our consumption? What waste streams are created and how are they reused?

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Use of input

This group of indicators shows the amount of resources (water, soil, fertilisers, energy…) our primary food production (agriculture) uses.
Total water consumption
61 million m³

Total water consumption

This indicator measures how much water is used in the Flemish agricultural sector and where this water comes from....
Sustainable water consumption
37%

Sustainable water consumption

This indicator shows how much of the Flemish agricultural sector’s water consumption comes from sustainable sources.
Use of nitrogen in the agricultural sector
147.2 kt

Use of nitrogen in the agricultural sector

This indicator measures how much nitrogen-based fertiliser is used in the Flemish agricultural sector. It also shows what kinds...
Use of phosphorus in the agricultural sector
42.6 kt

Use of phosphorus in the agricultural sector

This indicator measures how much phosphorus-based fertiliser is used in the Flemish agricultural sector. It also shows what kinds...
Production and use of animal fertiliser
137% (N) - 147% (P)

Production and use of animal fertiliser

This indicator shows the ratio between livestock manure production and the use of animal fertiliser in Flanders.
Energy consumption in the agricultural sector
31.7 PJ

Energy consumption in the agricultural sector

This indicator shows how much energy is consumed each year by the agricultural sector and which sources of energy...
Spatial distribution
50% farmland

Spatial distribution

This indicator gives more insight into the spatial distribution of Flanders.
Use of agricultural land
617 081 ha

Use of agricultural land

This indicator shows the various uses of the agricultural land in Flanders.
Use of animal feed
7,756 kt

Use of animal feed

This indicator paints a picture of the total production of compound feed in Belgium and the proportion of residual...
Use of soil in Flanders

Use of soil in Flanders

This indicator shows the evolution of 7 soil nutrients, which play a role in the growth of crops, and...

Loss of input

This group of indicators shows how much and which resources from primary food production (agriculture) ‘leak’ into the environs.
Greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector
7,492 kt CO₂-eq.

Greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector

This indicator measures the total greenhouse gas emissions generated by the Flemish agricultural sector. It also gives more insight...
Acidifying emissions in the agricultural sector
2,670 million Zeq

Acidifying emissions in the agricultural sector

This indicator shows the amount of acidifying emissions coming from primary production. The emissions are quantified according to the...
Nitrogen concentrations in surface water
23.6 mg NO₃/l

Nitrogen concentrations in surface water

This indicator shows the evolution of the nitrogen concentrations in surface water in the agricultural regions of Flanders. It...
Phosphate concentrations in surface water
64% exceeded

Phosphate concentrations in surface water

This indicator shows the evolution of the phosphate concentrations in surface water at various measurement sites in the agricultural...

Consumption pattern

This group of indicators shows the food choices made by Flemish households: are they balanced? Are they low-impact? How much leftover food is thrown away?
Protein consumption
65% plant-based

Protein consumption

This indicator shows the proportion of animal and plant-based products in the total calorie intake, as well as per...
Household food waste
240.9 kt

Household food waste

This indicator paints a picture of, on the one hand, the amount and type of food waste that was...
BMI evolution
25.5

BMI evolution

In order to measure the total consumption of Flanders, we look at the average Body Mass Index (BMI) and...

Waste

This group of indicators shows the food losses and residual flows and packaging waste, and how these are recovered.
Food residues and food loss
3,485 kt food waste

Food residues and food loss

This indicator shows the amount of food residues and food loss per sector of the Flemish food chain (2015)....
Valorisation of residual food streams
Cascade index 8.2

Valorisation of residual food streams

This indicator shows the valorisation chain and cascade index of the residual food streams per sector in Flanders.
Processing of residual food streams
1,391 kt digestate

Processing of residual food streams

This indicator shows the output of the fermentation of residual food streams.
Proportion of food in residual household waste
70.5 kt

Proportion of food in residual household waste

This indicator shows how much food waste is not sorted for household collection and therefore ends up in the...
Collection of organic residual waste
3,909 kt

Collection of organic residual waste

This indicator shows the evolution of the stream of organic residual waste sorted for collection.
Food packaging
783 kt

Food packaging

This indicator shows the evolution of the weight of packaging put on the market (POM) by the members of...
Collection of food packaging
698 kt

Collection of food packaging

This indicator shows the evolution of the sorted collection of packaging waste and, for each type of packaging, also...
Share of food packaging in the residual waste stream
27%

Share of food packaging in the residual waste stream

This indicator shows how much food packaging ended up in the residual waste in Flanders in the period 2013-2014....