FERTIECO

• Total project budget: 199.996,18€

• Start Date: 01/06/2022

  End Date: 31/12/2024

The separation of the solid fraction and the liquid fraction of pig slurry is one of the most widely used technologies in the treatment of livestock manure, as it allows an important part of the nutrients to be concentrated in the solid fraction, which, due to its low water content, is potentially exportable to other territories.

However, at present, it is not always easy to make the most of these organic amendments as, among other factors, they compete with mineral fertilisers with very competitive market prices and with formats (pellets, granules, etc.) that in many cases make fertilisation practices easier for the farmer. In view of this situation, it is necessary to find strategies that give added value to organic fertilisers.

In addition, livestock manure from intensive farming is not accepted as raw material for the production of organic fertilisers or amendments suitable for organic farming, due to the possible presence of emerging organic pollutants and no resistance.

Thus, the main objective of the FERTIECO project is to optimise the composting technology to sanitise and stabilise the solid fraction of pig slurry, as well as that of its digestate, under hyperthermophilic conditions and to obtain a biofertiliser with low content of veterinary drugs and resistance genes, which presents a good agronomic quality and is suitable for application in organic crops.

Through this project it will be possible to demonstrate not only the % reduction associated with the implementation of this technology, but also to compare the effect of the application, in agronomic terms, of those excrements that can be used to fertilise organic crops (cattle manure, compound of cattle manure and organic pig manure) in comparison with the biofertiliser obtained in this study.

Project funded through Operation 16.01.01 (Cooperation for innovation) through the Rural Development Programme of Catalonia 2014-2022. Coordinated by INNOVACC and with the participation of Cooperativa Plana de Vic, Batallé, Grupo Gepork, Agrocat and Salgot.

Order ARP/133/2021, of 20 May, approving the regulatory bases for aid for cooperation for innovation through the promotion of the creation of operational groups of the European Innovation Partnership for agricultural productivity and sustainability and the implementation of innovative pilot projects by these groups, and Resolution ACC/1660/2021, of 27 May, announcing the aforementioned aid.