WP2 Nutrient Management
in Farming Systems
FP7 - INEMAD project kick-off meeting
Ghent, 12.04.2012
Preface
Why this project, what is the problem?
 the problem of nutrient cycling partly originates from the
specialisation in the primary production sector,
 specialisation happens because the economic aspects dominate the
ecological and social aspects and gaining benefits by the production
of large volume of a product is/was more important that gaining
benefits by producing a wide variety of products,
 mass production of a limited number of commodities at the farm has
been a more successful business strategy than mixed farming where
a wide range of complementary products were produced,
 lack of FP6 and FP7 projects,
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
INEMAD is focusing on innovative strategies (1)
 to reconnect crop production and livestock husbandry farming
systems,
 to integrate the new flows of energy and materials inside and outside
the agricultural sector creating options with biomaterial recycling,
greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation,
 to develop new business models where material and energy flows in
the system are reconsidered e.g. recycling,
 holistic, system approach in nutrient management,
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
INEMAD is focusing on innovative strategies (2)
 the result is a triangular enlargement of the traditional farming
systems with a processing system. Processing as a third pillar
linked with crop production and animal husbandry will reduce the
external energy input and will close the nutrient cycle (carbon
cycle).
 nutrient recycling can be done by bio- processing and the use of
digestate as fertilizer,
Why to include processing as the 3rd pillar?
 to restore the nutrient cycle,
 to decrease the energy input,
 to connect the flows of nutrients outside the agriculture with
the inside flows in agriculture,
 indirectly to reduce the GHG emission,
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Driving principles in nutrient management
 assuring the nutrient balance in the system by nutrient flows
and nutrient cycles,
 concern to the environmental impact due to the unwanted side
effects of fertilization (on soils, weed growth, crop diseases
water and air pollution),
 assuring productivity and sustainability,
 beside the quantitative nutrient management assuring both
quantitative and qualitative aspects + efficiency in the nutrient
management+ economy,
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
The NITROGEN cycle and balance in a
mixed farming system
INPUTS
OUTPUTS
Feeding
65%
Fertilizer and
manure
25%
Nitrogen fixing
plants
7%
Nitrogen rainfall
2%
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Plant + Animal
26%
nitrogen
recycled or
lost in the
environment
Sold products
44%
Sold animals
25%
Manure
4%
The PHOSPHOR cycle and balance in a
mixed farming system
INPUTS
Feeding
78%
Fertilizer and
manure
22%
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
OUTPUTS
Plant + Animal
13%
phosphor
recycled or
lost in the
environment
Sold products
37%
Sold animals
37%
Manure
12%
The POTASSIUM cycle and balance in a
mixed farming system
INPUTS
Feeding
74%
Fertilizer and
manure
26%
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
OUTPUTS
Plant + Animal
36%
potassium
recycled or
lost in the
environment
Sold products
43%
Sold animals
8%
Manure
12%
Schematic carbon cycle
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Carbon cycle (2)
 soil organic material content:
• < 5% living organisms,
• < 10% fresh residues,
• 30-50% stabilised organic material,
• 30-50% decomposing organic material,
 the source of organic material are from photosynthesis and
chemosynthesis,
 the transformation of carbon trough anaerobe (fermentation) and
aerobe (respiration) processes due to macro and macroorganisms,
 the main organic resources are the cellulose, lignins, pectins,
proteins other materials,
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
WP2 Objectives
 to analyse the options (strategies) for efficient nutrient management
in different farming systems,
 to analyse the optimal use of new fertilisation alternatives from bioprocessing,
 evaluation of the possibilities to replace the traditional fertilizers (
e.g. by green fertilizers),
The WP2 is divided in 3 subtasks:
Task 2.1:
identification and ranking the nutrient management
strategies (practices),
Task 2.2:
technical and ecological evaluation of the strategies
(practices),
Task. 2.3:
economical and ecological evaluation (trade offs or impact)
of the strategies + social acceptance,
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Links with other deliverables
D.2.1 Report with the list of the existing and innovative strategies for
nutrient recycling (month 12),
 Receive inputs from: D.1.2, D. 1.3, D 4.1
 Working in parallel: D.3.2, D.3.2, D.6.5
D.2.2 Report with technical and ecological evaluation of the ranked
management strategies (month 36),
 Receive inputs from: D.1.4, D.4.1, D.4.3, D.4.4, D.5.1
 Working in parallel: D.3.3, D.3.4, D.3.5, D.4.5, D.4.7
D.2.3 Report with economic and ecologic trade offs (impacts) and social
acceptance of the innovative management strategies (month 44),
 Receive inputs from: as the D.2.2 + D.4.6, D.4.8, D.5.2,
 Working in parallel: D.3.7, D.6.4
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Inputs from the WP1
 MFA (material flow analysis- an analytical method of quantifying
flows and stocks of materials or nutrients in the selected agrosystems) having the aim to describe the existing nutrient
strategies, identify the knowledge gaps in the system, establish the
system boundaries for comparing the different systems,
 indicator toolbox (based on SMART principles) concerning the
assessment of the nutrient and energy efficiency in different
farming systems e.g. carbon balance, NO2 emission,
 the toolbox serve the WP2 and WP3,
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Outputs to WP3, WP4, WP5, WP6
 give inputs to the WP4 (exchange of nutrients between farms and
processing units) and WP5 (institutional framework: stakeholder
consultation, elaborating the white paper for recycling policies),
Task 3.1 Inventory of processing strategies,
Task 4.1 Stakeholder consultation (focus group),
Task 4.2 Evaluation of different types of collaboration,
Task 4.4 Optimisation models for blending organic fertilizers,
Task 4.5 Report on the economic and ecologic impact (trade offs),
Task 5.1 Stakeholder workshop,
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Selecting the 6 (7) regions for case studies
Task 2.1 Nutrient management strategies (6 country X 5 strategy),
Task 2.3 Economic and ecologic impact + social acceptability of the
nutrient management strategies (focus groups) (6 countries),
Task 3.1 Inventory of processing strategies (6 countries),
Task 4.1 Focus group meetings (7 countries),
Task 5.1 Stakeholder workshop (7 countries),
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Proposed methodology for selecting the
regions and sites
1. select the target area,
2. categorize the main production practices and identify the limiting
factors (boundary analysis),
3. select the representative sites (farms),
4. consultation with the farmers in the selected sites,
5. choose the applicability of MFA toolbox indicators,
6. prepare a farm level nutrient management plan with existing practices,
7. identify the innovative management practices,
8. prepare a farm level nutrient management plan with innovative
practices,
9. identify the economic- ecologic and social sustainability indicators,
10.apply the economic- ecologic and social sustainability indicators,
11.evaluate farmers acceptance by focus groups and stakeholder
meetings,
12.extend the innovative nutrient management practices,
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Task 2.1 planned activities (1)
Subtask 2.1.1:
Inventory of existing
management strategies
for nutrient cycling
 establish the selection criteria of
European regions e.g high number of
animals in the North and a low number of
animals in Central and South,
 select the 6 regions in Belgium, Bulgaria,
Denmark, Germany, Hungary, The
Netherlands,
 prepare questionnaire on the present and
innovative nutrient practices,
 perform the interviews with stakeholders
in the 6 countries + summarizing the
results to be used in subtask 2.1.2,
Q: one region /country is representative or 5
regions with different practices?
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Task 2.1 planned activities (2)
Subtask 2.1.2
Identifying innovative
management strategies
for nutrient cycling
 establish the criteria for innovative
nutrient management practices,
Subtask 2.1.3
Ranking the innovative
management strategies
for nutrient cycling
 establish the ranking criteria,
 proceed identification: based on the
results from Subtask 2.1.1 the innovative
practices are identified in the 6 PP
countries,
 proceed the ranking: based on the results
from Subtask 2.1.2 the innovative
practices are ranked (prioritised)
Results: 30 strategies
Responsible partner: AUP
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Task 2.2 planned activities (1)
Subtask 2.2.1
Technical evaluation
of the ranked
strategies
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
 evaluate: based on the Task 1.1.1, MFA
and Task 2.1.3 the ranked (prioritised)
strategies (practices) are evaluated
according to the nutrient management
practices and farming system,
Subtask 2.2.1 nutrient management practices
FARM BOUNDARIES
 from inside sources (nutrient self sustained),
 from outside sources (nutrient dependent),
MATERIAL INPUTS AND OUTPUTS






inputs in the plant cropping farms,
outputs in the plant cropping farms (flowchart and balance),
inputs in livestock farms,
outputs in the livestock farms (flowchart and balance),
inputs in the mixed farms,
outputs in the mixed farms (flowchart and balance),
NUTRIENT SOURCES
 agricultural,
 non agricultural e.g. industrial and /or rural,
NUTRIENT LOSSES
 economic: reduced profit,
 ecologic: leaching, nitrification, pest and disease, GHG emission,
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Subtask 2.2.1 farming systems
PLANT CROPPING FARMS






conventional, integrated,
organic,
with low input energy crops,
no energy crops,
location e.g. nitrate sensitive zone,
size,
LIVESTOCK FARMS
 animal species as dairy cow, beef, pig, poultry e.g. P/N ratio,
 location e.g. close to bio- processing units,
 size,
MIXED FARMS




FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
plant species for cropping,
animal species for breeding,
size,
location e.g. nitrate sensitive zone,
Notes to subtask 2.2.1
 in the FSS (Farm Structure Survey) 72 types of farming are
identified, having 9 economic sizes in the 140 FADN regions,
 on CORDIS 51 results in farming systems and 15 projects for
nutrient management,
 farm selection according to the closeness to the biomass processing
units and farms having GAP or quality assurance schemes,
 evaluation of the GHG contribution of different nutrient cycling
options,
 establishing the quality performance of the organic input sources
e.g. microbiology,
 beside the material input and output analysis in some cases the
energy input and outputs can be studied e.g. energy used/ha,
energy used /kg product,
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Subtask 2.2.1 analysis of the farming systems
PLANT CROPPING FARMS
LIVESTOCK FARMS
 use of cover crops,
 use of energy crops in non
food plots,
 using GAP practices,
 precision farming,
 using crop rotation,
 using green fertilizers e.g. biochar, compost,
 manure spreading practices
and techniques e.g. injections,
 feed optimisation, e.g. low
phosphor content feeds,
 housing condition e.g. solid
manure or liquid manure,
 animal health aspects,
 manure treatment (+ additives)
and storage,
 grazing species/in house
species,
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Notes to subtask 2.2.1 (2)
 using bio char produced from agricultural and food wastes could
reduce plants need for nitrogen by 20 –30% while sequestering
carbon that would otherwise end up in the atmosphere,
 carbon binding potential of composting and the use of bio-char to
mitigate the climate change contribute to 1% increase of soil
organic matter in the top 30 cm which is equivalent to 0,968 tons of
atmospheric CO2/ ha capture and storage
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Task 2.2 planned activities (2)
Subtask 2.2.2
Technical feasible
strategies
 proceed identification: based on the
indicator toolbox from Subtask 1.1.3 and
2.2.1 with link to Subtask 2.3.2 the
technical feasible practices are identified.
This can be different in the selected
regions.
Results: different nutrient management
strategies for plant cropping, livestock
farming and mixed farms having in focus
the possibility of using the green fertilizers
which are performed in WP3 and WP4
Responsible: SOLTUB Ltd.
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Task 2.2 planned activities (3)
Subtask 2.2.3
Ecological
evaluation of the
nutrient system
 fill the knowledge gap in the national and
international literature and improve the
Subtask 1.1.3 (toolbox): the evaluation can
be extended with the PP countries
programmes in nutrient management which
can be linked with INEMAD as in Denmark:
Ethical Account for Livestock Farms, Green
accounts, in The Netherlands: Agroecological Indicators, Agricultural
Environmental Label, in France: Agro –
ecological Indicators, in Germany: Regno
 studying the fertilisation guidelines in PP
countries, fertilisation maps + nitrate
sensitive zones and buffer zones+ soil
classification+ aquifer classification,
 link with other FP6 and FP7 project results,
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Task 2.3 planned activities (1)
Subtask 2.3.1
Economies of scale
and scope
 evaluate: costs, yields, prices, inputs in
the selected regions (case studies in
Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany,
Hungary, The Netherlands),
Subtask 2.3.2
Analysis of economicecologic trade offs
(impact)
 perform the analysis: the economical
and ecological impact of the innovative
management practices e.g. using green
fertilizers in the plant cropping farms
and mixed farms, pest management,
water quality
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Task 2.3 planned activities (2)
Subtask 2.3.3
Social acceptability of
management
strategies by farmers
 interviews: preparing the questions for the
interviews,
 organizing the focus groups in the 6
countries, (Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark,
Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands),
 performing the interviews + summarizing
the results
Results: feasibility study on the economic
aspects of the different nutrition strategies
(possibility to include the green fertilizers
and biomass processed products) and
ecologic aspects of using bio- processed
products
Responsible: ILVO
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
WP2 RTD background
 PP project background e.g. Interreg project DAIRYMAN,
 FP6 projects: 22 projects in farming system e.g. livestock farming
BAT SUPPORT, and 21 projects in nutrient management e.g.
fertigation NAGREF,
 FP7 projects: using farm waste: REFERTIL, FERTIPLUS,
CANTOGETHER, RECOPHOS, farm management: FUTURE FARMS,
NUE CROPS, crops: 4FCROPS, OSCAR, dairy farms: SOLID
 Technology platforms: BIOFUELS, FABRE, GAH, PLANTS, SUSCHEM,
ORGANIC,
Other: International Fertilisation Organisation
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Conformance to EU rules
 water management: Directive 2000/60/EC of the European
Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the
Community action in the field of water policy,
 soil management: Commission Report on the Thematic Strategy
for Soil Protection COM(2006)231 final and Commission report on
The implementation of the Soil Thematic Strategy and ongoing
activities COM(2012)46 final,
 waste management: Commission Communication on the Thematic
Strategy on the Prevention and Recycling of Waste COM(2011)13
final,
 natural resources: Commission Communication on the Thematic
Strategy on the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources COM(2005)
670 final,
 sustainability: EUROPE 2020: A strategy for smart, sustainable
and inclusive growth COM(2010) 2020 final, Roadmap to a Resource
Efficient Europe COM(2011)571 final
 bio-economy: Bio-economy for Europe COM(2012)60
FP7 INEMAD
12.04.2012
Thank you for your attention