Newsletter

For privacy reasons X needs your permission to be loaded. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.

About the Author: Chema Castellano

Chema holds a MSc degree in Biology from Universidad Complutense de Madrid with concentration in Ecology and an MSc in Environmental Science and Technology from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. During the last years, Chema has worked as an innovation consultant, specialising in proposal writing and acquiring wide experience in EU projects. Before, he worked as a researcher at CIEMAT (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas – ES) and Scion (New Zealand Forest Research Institute - NZ) in the field of biomass utilisation for energy and materials.

Synthetic fertilisers have enabled to more than double agricultural production over the last century. However, despite their critical importance for our food systems, their widespread use generates multiple negative impacts (e.g., GHG emissions, soil degradation, eutrophication) and endangers environmental and human health. Furthermore, they are obtained from non-renewable sources (e.g., phosphate and potassium ores) and rely on highly energy demanding processes for their manufacture (e.g., ammonia production through the Haber-Bosch process contributes to approximately 2% of the global carbon emissions) posing a global sustainability challenge.

There is therefore a pressing need to reduce the use and impacts of synthetic fertilisers in order to guarantee the sustainability of our food systems and support human health. In line with these concerns, the EU has set ambitious goals of decreasing nutrient losses by 50% by 2030 as part of the Farm to Fork strategy, within the European Green Deal. A key area of focus has been how to maintain soil health while addressing the environmental impacts of conventional farming practices.

Bio-based fertilisers and soil amendments are emerging as game-changers, offering environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives to synthetic fertilisers that also improve soil health.

Traditional and innovative bio-based fertilisers and soil amendments

Bio-based fertilisers and soil amendments are often used as interchangeable concepts, mainly because bio-based fertilisers are extracted from living organisms or their residues, which is also true for many soil amendments. However, they have some key differences: bio-based fertilisers provide nutrients to the soil, while promoting its natural fertility. Soil amendments, on the other hand, may also provide nutrients, but their effects are more focused on maintaining or improving soil’s physical, chemical and/or biological properties. Both bio-based fertilisers and soil amendments offer a more holistic approach to farming, compared to synthetic fertilisers, that supports biodiversity, enhances soil structure, and reduces environmental harm.

Below we list the most relevant bio-based fertilisers and soil amendments:

  • Animal manure: animal manure is one of the oldest and most widely used bio-based fertilisers. It provides a rich source of nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. When properly composted, manure is an excellent addition to soil, enriching it with organic matter and beneficial microorganisms. However, it is important to manage manure application carefully to avoid nutrient runoff and the spread of pathogens.

  • Compost: sometimes considered a bio-based fertiliser, compost works also as a soil amendment. It is created by breaking down plant and animal materials (e.g., manure) over time, resulting in an organic matter-rich, nutrient-dense material that can be added to soil. Compost provides essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but also improves soil structure and increases water retention. It also stimulates the activity of beneficial microbes in the soil, which play a vital role in maintaining soil health.

  • Pant-based fertilisers: plant-based fertilizers, such as those made from algae, or green manure (a crop specifically cultivated to be incorporated into the soil while still green) can be rich in micronutrients and minerals that are often missing in synthetic fertilisers.

  • Animal-based fertilisers: besides manure, different products of animal origin can be used as bio-based fertilisers or soil amendments. The most relevant are bone meal, blood meal and fish emulsion. These products are rich in nutrients while can also contribute to improve soil structure, microbial diversity and other properties (e.g., pH).

  • Microbe-based fertilisers: introducing beneficial microorganisms (e.g., mycorrhizal fungi, nitrogen-fixing bacteria) into the soil can help boost nutrient cycling, improve soil structure, and promote plant health.

  • Biochar: biochar, a soil amendment, is a form of charcoal that is produced by heating organic materials (such as wood or agricultural waste) in a low-oxygen environment. It is a highly stable form of carbon that can be added to soil to improve its structure, increase water-holding capacity, and reduce nutrient leaching. Biochar also has the potential to sequester carbon in the soil, contributing to mitigate climate change by capturing CO2 from the atmosphere.

The future of farming: sustainability and resilience

As the need for more sustainable and resilient agricultural practices continues to grow, the adoption of bio-based fertilisers and soil amendments will play a pivotal role. By prioritising soil health, farmers can not only reduce their environmental impact but also improve crop yields, enhance plant resistance to pests and diseases, and protect water resources.

At INNOVARUM we strive to support innovation in the agri-food sector, being involved in key projects aiming to create more sustainable and resilient food systems. Examples of these projects are SOILUTIONS, PHAntastic, NPower, MAINSTREAMBIO, or VALUEWASTE. More information can be found in our projects section.