Sustainable water consumption

This indicator shows how much of the Flemish agricultural sector’s water consumption comes from sustainable sources.

37%

In 2018, 37% of the Flemish agricultural sector’s water consumption was sustainable.

What do we see?

Although we saw a clear increase in sustainable water consumption between 2013 and 2017, that figure dropped again in 2018. This was due to the dry summer that year. As there was less rainwater available, more groundwater had to be used.



What’s the aim?

In a circular economy, we want to increase the amount of sustainable water consumption. By taking a sustainable approach to this raw material, we can guarantee its continued availability. This will also allow us to limit the negative impact on the natural water cycle. 

What does this indicator measure?

This indicator shows how much of the Flemish agricultural sector’s water consumption comes from sustainable sources. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries calculates this figure by adding up the total amount of rainwater, 80% of the surface water and 50% of the shallow groundwater and then dividing that number by the total water consumption.

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Total water consumption
61 million m³

Total water consumption

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Use of nitrogen in the agricultural sector
147.2 kt

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Use of phosphorus in the agricultural sector
42.6 kt

Use of phosphorus in the agricultural sector

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Production and use of animal fertiliser
137% (N) - 147% (P)

Production and use of animal fertiliser

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Energy consumption in the agricultural sector
31.7 PJ

Energy consumption in the agricultural sector

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Spatial distribution
50% farmland

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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

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Use of soil in Flanders

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