The agricultural sector is under regulatory pressure and has the
opportunity to play a key role in key sustainability issues, especially in the
Northwest of the EU. Northwest Germany and the Netherlands are among the
regions with the highest livestock densities and manure production. The ReFarM
project aims to implement technological solutions to convert manure from waste
into products such as fertilizer alternatives, soil improvers and renewable
energy in the form of biogas. The recovered products can replace current
products derived from primary resources such as fertilizers from mining,
organic substrates from peat extraction and fossil fuels. The local reuse of
resources minimizes emissions and damage to the local environment, as well as
soil contamination from the emissions-intensive extraction of primary
resources.
The reclaimed fertilizer alternatives and soil amendments are designed to
improve soil health and functionality to support soil resilience to climate
change. Soil health and functionality are essential to sustain agricultural
activities. In addition to agricultural purposes, healthy and functioning soils
also protect the surrounding environment and surface and groundwater bodies.
The ReFarM project aims to tailor manure-based recovery products to soil needs,
assess their safety and lifecycle, and test them in laboratory and field
trials. The recovered products will be compared to primary resource products.
Manure valorization and related circular and sustainable practices create
new revenue opportunities for agricultural SMEs. The cross-border exchange of
best practices and valorization products adds value and reduces financial and
regulatory pressure on the regional agricultural sector. The ReFarM project
aims to evaluate new business models for agricultural SMEs and to compare new
scenarios with those currently applied.
