GreenAgri

Title: Environmentally-friendly Management of Organic Fertilizers in Agriculture

Summary: The eutrophication status of the Baltic Sea is still unsatisfactory, despite decreased nutrient loads in recent decades. Agriculture is one of the sources of nutrients eventually entering from surface waters to Baltic Sea. This problem is recognized by farmer’s organizations challenged to do the best to amend the situation. New restrictions in management of organic fertilizers will be established in Estonia and Latvia in 2015 because of the unsufficient implementation of EU Nitrates Directive.

Capability of agricultural sector is not sufficient for implementation of new technologies and practices in everyday farming enabling to comply with new restrictions and maintain current level of production and competitiveness. Farmers need neutral information for implementing new innovative solutions most applicable for project area which reduce nutrient losses and benefit the long-term fertility of the soil at the same time. Project objective is reduced nutrient losses from agriculture in Baltic States through introducing and testing innovative and efficient practices in management of organic fertilizers. 20 farmers from Est/Lat pilot areas invest to most appropriate technologies/methods using their own financial resources.

Data about nutrient runoffs will be gathered from pilot areas and analysed by experts and researchers. Farmers receive well-founded information about the efficiency of different solutions demonstrating real results in reducing nutrient losses. It’s the first time when testing of different technologies in manor management will be arranged in wider area using financial resources and intellectual capital of Estonian/Latvian farmers, farmers organizations and research institutions. Project creates working method for beneficial co-operation between farmers’, governmental and environmental organizations supporting the achievement of targets set for improvement of the eutrophication status of the BS and for addressing other environmental problems.

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