BioBoost - Pro

In the NWE agricultural system, the use of hydroponics -a soilless growing plant technique by using water-based mineral nutrient solutions- increases each year. A challenge for this very valuable technique (contribution to food system diversity, space & water efficiency) is the dependency on petrochemical fertilizers, imported from outside Europa and containing finite (Phosphorus,P) and energy demanding (nitrogen,N) nutrients. 

At the same time essential nutrients (such P and N) are lost in the form of non-recycled manure. And livestock farmers are searching for solutions for processing animal manure to respect local legislation in line with the EU Nitrate Directive.

The roll-out of bioponics (waterbased growing of crops with the use of organic fertilizers which can be produced from manure) is an opportunity: a circular instead of linear process. 

BIOBOOST-PRO tackles the barriers for the uptake of bioponics in NWE (e.g. lack of knowledge) by all value chain stakeholders (growers, manure producer/suppliers, authorities, umbrella organisations...) by:

1. implementing and demonstrating bioponics in real live: 6 pilot sites in BE, DE, FR, IE & NL with organic fertilizers produced from fish, poultry and/or pig manure;

The Irish pilot site is in Cill Ulta and we will be using cleaned fish waste on flowers to demonstrate and implement the Circular economy concept of bioponics (waterbased growing of crops with the use of organic fertiliser. 

2) Enabling the replication and roll-out by transnational tool development: 4 business models, 1 methodology for territorial strategy development and 1 hands-on toolkit for value chain stakeholders 

3) capacity building through a learning network (60 growers, manure producers/suppliers); transnational advocacy series (50 policy makers/umbrella organisations) and general awareness raising in BE, DE, FR, IE & NL. 

By this, BIOBOOST-PRO will reinforce the value chain stakeholders from the valuable and promising hydroponic sector in NWE to make the transition from a linear (petrochemical fertilizers) to a circular value chain (organic fertilizers from manure) in this way decreasing manure pollution and preventing loss of valuable nutrients.

Currently the linear nutrient agricultural system – phosphorus and nitrogen are lost in the form of non-recycled manure. Hydroponics (a soilless plant cultivation technique is a valuable technique. It needs less space, has high yield with low water resource and is less dependent on soil availability/quality & climate conditions. But it has a high consumption of fertiliser: mostly petrochemical and imported from outside of Europe. The most important nutrients in the fertilisers are finite -Phosphorus or high energy demanding in production Nitrogen.

A transition to a more circular model with an organic source of fertilisers is required. AN opportunity is the transition of existing hydroponics system to bioponics : water based growing of crops with the use of organic fertiliser produced from manure (cleaned fish waste).