BIOBOOST - PRO

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 (water-based 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;
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).