Food production has had a regional function for centuries, and the current trend is back to that regional function. Regional food production and consumption links the interests of food producers and consumers. In addition, the citizen in Region 4.0 is involved as investor (co-owner), buyer and worker, and human dignity is restored, with urban farms and food estates where there is room for care clients and people with a distance to the labor market. Larger scale production takes place in more rural areas, such as Noordoostpolder, Drenthe and Groningen. Here stocks are built up in granaries and cold stores, and exchanged with other autonomous regions.<\/p>\n\n
Reducing the number of steps in the food chain between producer and consumer helps not only to reduce the power of food giants, but also to gain transparency about food safety and the ecological consequences of food production. The interests of farmers and consumers can be further united by establishing regional cooperatives in which both farmers and citizens are interested members. Citizens receive their share of the harvest, so that farmers are assured of the sale of their products. Citizens with land can also become producers themselves. Food forests increase biodiversity and thus soil quality, and reduce drought. Proceeds can be spent or exchanged locally in regional cryptocurrencies. We advise and inspire everyone in the areas of: building food forests, herb gardens, permaculture, organic (urban) gardening and arable farming, organic animal husbandry, biodiversity, local grocery shopping, food -preservation and -safety, circular economy, support for farmers and regulations and subsidies.