Agricultural biomass shows promise in reducing chemical fertilizer use

Agricultural biomass residues and food industry byproducts are emerging as viable alternatives to reduce chemical fertilizer usage, paving the way for more sustainable farming practices. 

This groundbreaking development took center stage at the EIMA International trade show in Bologna, Italy, which AgroPages attended.

The event featured a series of high-level meetings focusing on soil fertility preservation and enhancement through agricultural biomass waste utilization. ITABIA (Italian Biomass Association) coordinated these sessions as part of the EIMA Energy Exhibition, one of five specialized sectors at EIMA International.

ITABIA's sponsored meetings aimed to facilitate knowledge transfer and best practices among supply chain stakeholders through synergies between European and national projects. Two initiatives, RuralBioUp and DELISOIL, took the spotlight during a roundtable discussion titled "Agri-food Industry Byproducts: Pathways to Sustainable Agriculture?"

The gathering brought together industry leaders, trade associations, research institutions, agronomists, and experimental firms to explore innovative ways of transforming agri-food waste into soil enhancers and closing the fertility cycle in agricultural production.

"Overcoming current barriers to biofertilizer development is crucial," stated Italian partners of the European DELISOIL Project during the meeting. They emphasized the importance of establishing a supply chain that effectively utilizes waste products and returns nutrients to the soil.

This European Commission-funded initiative aims to develop solutions for processing and recycling food industry secondary streams to produce high-quality, safe recycled fertilizers. The project also supports the EU's "Soil Deal for Europe" mission and "Farm to Fork" strategy for sustainable agriculture.

The roundtable discussions were complemented by a training course titled "Bioeconomy in Agroecosystems: Biofertilizers, Active Molecules, and Soil Enhancers." Sponsored by ITABIA under the RuralBioUP Project, the event showcased successful cases of sustainable agricultural production using organic waste resources from urban and rural environments.

The initiative fostered collaboration between entrepreneurs and researchers, facilitating valuable exchanges with five similar European Projects: ULTIMATE, RUSTICA, EXCALIBUR, DELISOIL, and MULCHING+. The latter focuses on developing innovative biofilms for soil mulching derived from cellulose and chitosan and enriched with nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus).

This cutting-edge sustainable technology enables nutrient release through the complete biodegradation of mulch materials. Initial trials have shown promising results, with biodegradation completed in less than four months and increasing nitrate and phosphorus levels by 60%, significantly reducing the need for chemical fertilizer applications.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)