How can Belgian farmers navigate nutrient regulations while ensuring both sustainability and profitability? Hongzhen Luo and Erik Meers from Ghent University share insights on the challenges of nutrient management, the role of precision agriculture, and innovative solutions like nitrogen recovery.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What do you think are the challenges for Belgian farmers in nutrient management ?
Flanders is characterised by an intensive crop and animal production, partly due to the Nitrates Directive which restricts the use of animal manure. Instead the crop nutrient requirement is amended by synthetic fertilisers. Around 40-45% of nitrogen spread on fields comes from chemical fertilisers along with the full dose of animal manure. Since farmers need extra chemical fertilisers on top of animal manure, there is nutrient pressure along with high consumption of primary resources, such as natural gas to produce these synthetic fertilisers.
How do technological advancements in agriculture contribute to Belgium’s environmental sustainability? How do you think these advancements can help keep farming economically viable?
Technological advancements such as precision agriculture tools (e.g. sensor-based nutrient mapping) can improve the nutrient use efficiency, meaning farmers use less fertiliser but have the same or even better productivity. This lowers fertiliser costs and any unnecessary nutrient losses to the environment.
Nutrient recovery technologies such as anaerobic digestion can reduce greenhouse gas emissions during manure storage and create revenue streams: biogas as a green energy and digestate as an organic fertiliser. Converting surplus sources of nitrogen (e.g. manure) into its chemical plant-available form can also reduce farmers’ dependence on primary resources and improve circularity.
Could you share an example of a specific innovation from your group and explain its impact on sustainable farming practices?
Our group has been working on optimising stripping-scrubbing technology for nitrogen recovery from surplus manure. These ammonium salts fall in the proposed RENURE criteria and have been tested in the RENURE operational group which showed equivalent fertilising value as synthetic nitrogen fertilisers.
Through this approach, farmers can safely convert surplus manure into sustainable fertilisers that can be applied beyond the 170 kg N/ha/year limit. This can close the nutrient loop in their own farm while reducing their synthetic fertiliser dependency.
What types of financial incentives or support structures in Belgium encourage the adoption of sustainable farming technologies? Are there support structures in other countries that you think could work in Belgium?
The eco-schemes and rural development programme under the Belgium CAP plans offer financial support to address environmental and climate-related objectives, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing soil and water quality and strengthening of biodiversity. Specific funds are allocated to help young farmers set up sustainable farming , and there are dedicated working groups to support their transition to sustainable practices.
The Danish State aid greenhouse gas tax reduction scheme may be useful for Belgium to encourage farms and other businesses investing in technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Creating a legal framework allowing RENURE products to replace synthetic fertilizers could increase overall sustainability (reduce carbon footprint, reduce primary resource use (natural gas), increase manure use efficiency, reduce overall nutrient losses).
What strategies in your view are effective in balancing the economic needs of farmers with environmental sustainability goals?
A more holistic systemic approach on nutrient management with circular business models, for example selling processed manure as CE-certified fertilisers. This can align farm profitability with sustainability. Public-private partnerships, like the “Manure Bank” in Flanders can help regions trade nutrients among each other, which can address both regulatory compliance and farm income stability.
What feedback have you received from farmers who have implemented new technologies or practices?
The Flemish farmers said they had a good experience with the implementing technologies of PocketBoer, RENURE and Grass2Algae operational groups, though some also stressed the need for streamlined permitting processes and technical support, for example to install and maintain pocket digesters.
Did you learn anything new from your work in NUTRI-KNOW in your area of expertise?
Through collaborative data from 12 operational groups in four member states, NUTRI-KNOW helped the knowledge exchange of nutrient management innovations in addressing region-specific issues while informing the applicability of the innovations in other regions. This project also highlighted the power and importance of networking collaboration between researchers and educators, farmer associations and agro-industries, which should be more considered in my work as a scientific researcher.