Times are tough for those who work the land. In Houyet, in the province of Namur, a market gardener calls for help. Alexandre Pochet, from the Ame-Hour garden, needs €20,000 to dig a well on his land, and thus have direct access to water. Because for the moment, he irrigates his crops mainly with rainwater collected in a basin. “The little water available goes into the greenhouses to feed the tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and cucumbers”explains the market gardener.
Inevitably, the rest of the crops, such as broccoli and cauliflower, suffer. “The broccoli have been under-irrigated, so they’re too bitter, and they go to seed for the flowers. The beans have become fibrous, and I don’t even work anything sensitive to bolting anymore, like arugula or coriander.”
