Nos oignons

About Nos oignons

Nos Oignons is a Belgian non-profit association founded in 2012 and described on its own site as a pioneer of social farming in Belgium. It works at the intersection of agriculture, social care, and mental health, with a vision of helping restore both soils and people through concrete support for agro-ecological production and direct access to local, peasant, sustainable food.

The organization collaborates with farmers and with many institutions in the social and health sectors. It also takes an active role in several platforms and networks, reflecting a model that is both field-based and advocacy-oriented.

Nos Oignons supports people who want to take part in farming activities either collectively or individually, often in partnership with care institutions and farm hosts.

Core Values

• Care for people and land: The organization presents social farming as a way to support both human well-being and the restoration of soils, linking social care with agro-ecological practice.
• Local and sustainable food systems: It emphasizes direct access to local, peasant, and durable food, and supports farming practices that are agro-ecological rather than industrial.
• Collective participation: Volunteers are invited to take part in local assemblies and the general assembly, and the team is trained in collective intelligence practices.
• Social inclusion and dignity: Its activities are built around welcoming people who may be experiencing mental-health difficulties, burn-out, or social fragility in a non-stigmatizing farm environment.

Unique Aspects

• Pioneer in Belgian social farming: Founded in 2012, Nos Oignons presents itself as a pioneer of the social farming movement in Belgium and as a regional federating actor.
• Strong network of partner farms and institutions: The organization works with farmers and social-health institutions across Belgium, and its public materials reference a broad ecosystem of partner farms and sector networks.
• Role in burn-out support: Beyond general social farming, Nos Oignons is involved in a dedicated study and advocacy work around supporting people experiencing burn-out.
• Public advocacy and sector coordination: Its publications and open letters show that it does not only run activities on farms, but also helps structure the sector through reports, networks, and policy-facing advocacy.