Cereals uses in Wallonia : context and issues

Walloon cereal production currently provides only 8 % of Belgian food chains, mainly because of low prices paid for food varieties, less favourable climate conditions and scattered plots of land. Key opportunities for non food uses are considered in a sustainable development perspective. But this can only be achieved through an exhaustive comparison of environmental and socio-economic impacts of existing and potential cereal chains. Biofuels – particularly bioethanol – are the predominant energy chains and are more and more developing in Belgium. Bioethanol industry has strongly developed since 2008 undoubtedly linked to European political support measures. The project “Alternatives for Cereals – ALT-4-CER” aims to define and to evaluate alternative scenarios for food and non food uses of
cereal resources in Wallonia with the support of involved stakeholders.