Category: NETHERLANDS

Differentiate between land reclamation in Kenya and Netherlands

Land reclamation in Kenya and the Netherlands differ in several aspects, including objectives, methods, scale, challenges, environmental impact, economic benefits, and government involvement. Here’s a brief differentiation:

Objectives:

  • Kenya: Land reclamation in Kenya aims to increase agricultural land, provide space for urban development, and combat issues such as erosion and flooding.
  • Netherlands: Land reclamation in the Netherlands primarily focuses on creating additional land for housing, infrastructure, and industrial purposes due to the high population density.

Methods:

  • Kenya: Land reclamation in Kenya involves techniques such as dam construction, terracing, and afforestation to reclaim land from water bodies or degraded areas.
  • Netherlands: Land reclamation in the Netherlands employs methods like poldering, diking, and drainage to reclaim land from the sea or lakes.

Scale:

  • Kenya: Land reclamation projects in Kenya are typically smaller in scale and are primarily carried out on a local or regional level.
  • Netherlands: Land reclamation in the Netherlands is conducted on a larger scale, involving extensive engineering and planning to reclaim significant areas of land.

Challenges:

  • Kenya: Land reclamation in Kenya faces challenges such as limited resources, lack of infrastructure, and potential conflicts over land ownership.
  • Netherlands: Land reclamation in the Netherlands encounters challenges related to managing water levels, maintaining flood protection, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of reclaimed land.

Environmental Impact:

  • Kenya: Land reclamation projects in Kenya need to consider ecological impacts, such as habitat destruction and alterations to water ecosystems. Efforts are made to minimize negative environmental consequences.
  • Netherlands: Land reclamation in the Netherlands has a history of balancing environmental considerations, including preserving natural habitats and managing water quality, alongside the need for land expansion.

Economic Benefits:

  • Kenya: Land reclamation in Kenya can contribute to increased agricultural productivity, urban development, and economic growth in the reclaimed areas.
  • Netherlands: Land reclamation in the Netherlands has played a significant role in creating valuable land for housing, industries, and infrastructure, contributing to economic development and urban expansion.

Government Involvement:

  • Kenya: Land reclamation projects in Kenya often involve government initiatives, policies, and support to address land scarcity and promote sustainable development.
  • Netherlands: Land reclamation in the Netherlands is heavily regulated and coordinated by government agencies, ensuring proper planning, environmental considerations, and long-term management.

It’s important to note that while this differentiation provides a general overview, specific land reclamation projects in each country may have unique characteristics and considerations.

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Solutions to the problems facing the agricultural sector in Netherlands

  • Construction of glass houses to overcome the unfavourable winter conditions.
  • There is constant application of fertilizers to overcome soil exhaustion.




  • There has been construction of stronger dykes to control floods and sea waves.
  • More land has been reclaimed to overcome shortage of land.
  • Crops are sprayed by pesticides to control pests and diseases.
  • A market research is conducted to access a wider international market for their produce.
  • Mixed farming has been encouraged to reduce competition from other countries.

7 Problems facing the agricultural sector in the Netherlands

The agricultural sector in the Netherlands is a major contributor to the Dutch economy. It accounts for about 2% of the country’s GDP and employs about 500,000 people.

The Netherlands is a major exporter of agricultural products, ranking 6th in the world in terms of agricultural exports. The country’s main agricultural exports include:

Potatoes: The Netherlands is the world’s largest exporter of potatoes

Flowers: The Netherlands is the world’s leading exporter of cut flowers and flower bulbs.

Vegetables: The Netherlands is a major exporter of vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers

Dairy products: The Netherlands is a major producer of dairy products, such as cheese and milk.

Meat: The Netherlands is a major producer of meat, such as beef, pork, and poultry.

The following are Problems facing the agricultural sector in the Netherlands

  • Unfavourable climate: The Netherlands has a temperate climate, with cold winters and cool summers. This can be a challenge for growing crops, as many plants need warm temperatures to grow and produce fruit. In addition, the Netherlands is located in a coastal area, which means that it is prone to strong winds and storms. These can damage crops and make it difficult to grow them.
  • Shortage of land: The Netherlands is a small country with a lot of people. This means that there is a shortage of land for agriculture. The government has reclaimed land from the sea, but this is a costly process and it has not solved the problem of land scarcity.
  • Competition for market and factors of production: The Netherlands is a major agricultural exporter. This means that it faces competition from other countries that are also trying to sell their agricultural products. In addition, the Netherlands is a highly industrialized country, which means that there is a lot of competition for factors of production, such as labor and capital.
  • High costs of reclaiming and maintaining of the reclaimed land: The costs of reclaiming land from the sea are high. This is because it requires a lot of investment in infrastructure, such as dikes and pumps. In addition, the reclaimed land needs to be maintained, which is also a costly process. This high cost of land reclamation and maintenance leads to high rental costs for farmers.
  • Salination: Salinity is a problem in some parts of the Netherlands, especially in the areas that were reclaimed from the sea. This is because the salt water from the sea can seep into the soil, making it difficult to grow crops.
  • Periodic flooding: The Netherlands is prone to periodic flooding, especially in the areas that are located near the coast. This is because the sea level is rising, and the country’s dikes are not always able to keep the water out. When the sea breaks through the dikes, it can submerge reclaimed areas and damage crops.




These are just some of the problems facing the agricultural sector in the Netherlands. The government is working to address these problems, but it is a challenge. The Netherlands is a small country with a lot of people and a lot of industry. This makes it difficult to find enough land for agriculture and to compete with other countries that are also trying to sell their agricultural products.

Despite these challenges, the Netherlands is still a major agricultural exporter. The country is known for its high-quality produce, and its farmers are using innovative technologies to overcome the challenges they face.

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Factors which have influenced the development of agriculture in Netherlands

  • Availability of alluvial fertile soils which support plant growth.
  • The presence of generally flat land which enables mechanisation.




  • Availability of ready market from the industrialized neighbouring countries.
  • The presence of good transport network which enables quick transportation of both agricultural produce and farm inputs.
  • The presence of good favourable climate whose temperatures are mild and enable plant growth.
  • Availability of an active and well trained agricultural population which has modern scientific methods of farming.
  • Good education system which recognizes agriculture by building a number of agricultural schools to produce a vigilant agricultural population.
  • Good government policy which supports farmers through loan provision and agricultural advisory services.
  • The availability of an active agricultural research which has enabled improvement in the quality of seeds and animals breeds.
  • Proximity to the highly industrialized nations for the dairy and horticultural products.
  • The enterprising and hard working spirit of the Dutch farmers thus enabling them to control their difficult environment.




  • The establishment of co-operative societies which ease the marketing and processing of agricultural products.
  • The strategic favourable trading position and advantage of quick means of communication with foreign countries have favoured agricultural development in Netherlands

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The importation of the dairy industry to the Netherlands

  • It earns foreign exchange through exportation of dairy products.
  • Products like milk and provide protein giving food to the Dutch people.




  • It provides employment opportunity to the Dutch hence improved standards of living.
  • Animal wastes provide manure and fertilizers to the Dutch gardens hence improved soil
  • fertility.
  • The Dutch butter and cheese have built a reputation abroad for the country

Characteristics of Dutch cattle rearing

  • Production of mainly milk, butter and cheese.
  • High exportation of processed and standardized milk.
  • Presence of processing and standardized plants.
  • High improved and yielding breeds such as Friesians.
  • Accounts for 40% of the goods value agricultural production.
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