NOVAFERT
Novel Procedures and Sustainable Guidelines to Enhance the Use of Alternative Fertilisers
The new Fertilising Product Regulation (FPR) increases the number of CE-marked alternative fertilising products on the EU’s market, including organic, organo-mineral and mineral bio-based fertilisers by reducing dependency on imported mineral fertilisers. However, the acceptance of these novel alternative fertilising products requires knowledge sharing among farmers and citizens about their fertilising efficiency and safety.
With the purpose of orientating the production and the application of alternative fertilising products according to the best environmental performances, EIT Food has joined NOVAFERT consortium, led by Ghent University (BE), together with renown entities like Teagasc (IE), BETA Technological Centre (ES), , Bioazul (ES), Natural Resources Institute Finland (FI), IPS-Konzalting (HR), Impact (BE), Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute (PL).
With that purpose, NOVAFERT uses a regional approach, covering 7 EU regions and different types of secondary raw materials., to support the development of sustainable local value chains deploying alternative fertilising products. These strategies will be helpful to enhance the uptake of alternative fertilising products and contribute in the long term to recommending directional guidelines for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
NOVAFERT aims to bring together the necessary information for efficient and safe utilizing of fertilising products to aid decision-making on valorisation employed in nutrient recovery, based on actual needs on the regional level and in the market across the EU. This will be achieved by:
- Developing an easily accessible atlas mapping the most relevant and high impact alternative fertilising technologies and products across Europe
- Developing methodological guidelines for the assessment of the impact of aternative fertilising products, considering production, storage and application
- Set up regional working groups to lead the transition towards bioeconomy.
- Develop a portfolio of support policies and region-specific action plans for fast uptake of alternative fertilising products in EU regions
- Showcase up to 10 lighhouse demos for exploting alternative fertilising products through novel, circular and green business models.
- Develop and deliver a capacity building programme favoring the interaction among strategic stakeholders.
EIT Food role
EIT Food will lead the knowledge and innovation management, to maximise the impact of the project and support the wider adoption of alternative fertilising products, in line with EIT Food’s mission to achieving a net-zero food system. The new nutrient economy is an integral component of a low carbon emission, environment-friendly and circular economy, supporting the food and nutrition requirements of a rising global population and improving the income and livelihood of farmers worldwide.
Partners
