Brabant Fertilizer Better start with 4 practical projects

HAS Hogeschool, ZLTO, the Netherlands Center for manure processing and the province of North Brabant launched the Brabant Bemest Beter program on Wednesday 19 February. This program fits in with the awareness of the 4 organizations that applying the right composition of animal manure at the right time plays a crucial role in the transition to a more climate neutral and circular arable farming, horticulture and livestock farming in North Brabant. By successfully putting good ideas for an improved use of animal manure products into practice, both the farmer and the environment will improve.

In Brabant Bemest Beter, farmers and horticulturalists use fertilization to improve their farm on the following four themes:

1. A vital and fertile soil.
2. A smaller climate impact of Brabant agriculture due to less use of fertilizers and storage of CO2 in the soil.
3. Improving the income of farmers and horticulturalists through better cultivation results.
4. Improve the quality of water and nature by reducing losses.

The project partners will collaborate with farmers, horticulturalists, contractors, supply companies and their advisors, knowledge institutions, manure processors and others. The following four projects are being started with them:

• Four groups of 10 farmers and horticulturalists, spread across the province, are practically working with their periphery and other experts to improve their own fertilization. The companies receive individual analyzes and advice, and these are compared with each other. This is done in collaboration with the Louis Bolk Institute.
• The fertilizer use in North Brabant is being inventoried and the possibilities of renewable fertilizers are being investigated.
• The possibilities for improving the quality of manure via additives are identified and tested.
• Fertilizer-free potato cultivation. Cultivation strips are being laid out on 2 plots, on clay and sandy soil, where experiments are being conducted in various ways with the reduction of fertilizers, in collaboration with the Practice Center for Precision Agriculture.