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.

NOVAFERT aims to orientate the production and the application of alternative fertilising products according to the best environmental performances, by establishing methodological guidelines for the assessment of alternative fertilising products’ production, storage, distribution and application.

A regional approach, covering 7 EU regions and different types of secondary raw materials, will also support the development of sustainable local value chains deploying alternative fertilising products. To achieve this, seven Regional Working Groups (RWGs) will be set up (one per target region), that will bring together relevant regional stakeholders according to the quadruple helix model of innovation.

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).

Furthermore, the use of alternative fertilising products should contribute to improve the nutrient flows, especially from nutrient-rich side-streams, reducing the nutrient losses into the environment.