salv
- Type
- Public Agency
- Location
- Brussels, Belgium
- Industries
- Arable farming, Crop / plant science, Horticulture, Controlled environment agriculture
- Domains
- Fish, Animal based primary products
About salv
SALV is the Strategic Advisory Council for Agriculture and Fisheries in Flanders. It advises the Flemish Government and the Flemish Parliament on agriculture and fisheries, and it can also issue recommendations on its own initiative or at the request of government or parliament.
The council is set up to support policy-making with broad social backing. Its work is built around dialogue among stakeholder organizations, research-based expertise, and consensus-seeking, with public advisory reports that are not binding but are intended to help shape well-supported decisions.
SALV is administratively embedded in the Sociaal-Economische Raad van Vlaanderen (SERV) and works on topics ranging from climate-smart agriculture and land use to fisheries, food policy, environment, and the future of farming in Flanders.
Core Values
- Consensus and social support: SALV emphasizes broad agreement among stakeholders as a foundation for durable policy choices and supported implementation.
- Research-based expertise: Its advice is intended to be well-founded, drawing on expertise, analysis, and evidence rather than advocacy alone.
- Transparency: The council states that it works transparently and publishes its advisory reports for public access.
- Adaptability: SALV presents itself as flexible and future-oriented, using thematic work and future dialogues to respond to changing challenges in agriculture and fisheries.
Unique Aspects
- Formal advisory role in Flemish policy: SALV is a decree-based advisory council created in 2007 and formally linked to the Flemish policy domain of agriculture and fisheries.
- Broad multi-stakeholder composition: Its membership includes 20 representatives from 19 stakeholder organizations spanning farming, horticulture, fisheries, environmental NGOs, consumer interests, research, and sector federations.
- Dedicated fisheries working committee: The Technical Working Committee on Fisheries is a formal SALV committee that advises on fisheries and broader North Sea and marine-environment policy.
- Embedded within SERV: SALV operates within the SERV house in Brussels and collaborates regularly with other Flemish advisory councils, including SERV and Minaraad.