The Catalan Nutrient Platform presents its Strategic Plan and calls for new members to join the initiative

The Catalan Nutrient Platform (PCN) has presented its 2027–2029 Strategic Plan, a document that defines the vision, objectives and lines of action of this initiative promoted by the BETA Technological Centre of the University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia, with the support of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food of the Government of Catalonia. The Platform was created with the aim of promoting a more sustainable, efficient and circular management of nutrients and contributing to the transition towards a more resilient agri-food system.

With the publication of the Strategic Plan, interested organisations can now consult the document and formally express their support for the initiative through a letter of interest. This process will help assess the level of interest across the sector and support the further development of the Platform.

The Strategic Plan is the result of a collaborative process coordinated by CT BETA over recent months, involving stakeholders from across the nutrient value chain, including companies, research centres, public administrations and other organisations linked to the agri-food sector. This process has made it possible to build consensus on the Platform’s model, identify the key challenges it should address and define the activities it will promote in the coming years. With the publication of the document, the PCN enters a new phase aimed at expanding its membership base and consolidating a community of organisations committed to nutrient circularity.

The Platform aims to become a reference hub for the recovery, valorisation and reuse of nutrients from organic resources, promoting sustainable alternatives to conventional fertilisers. Currently, Catalonia generates large amounts of nutrients from organic waste streams that are not always used efficiently, while Europe remains highly dependent on imported mineral fertilisers, exposing the sector to price volatility and international market disruptions.

In this context, the PCN seeks to connect companies, knowledge centres, public administrations and other relevant stakeholders in order to foster innovation, overcome technical and regulatory barriers and support the development of a strong market for recovered nutrients. The Strategic Plan identifies some of the main challenges facing the sector, including regulatory fragmentation, limited coordination among stakeholders and the economic viability of certain nutrient recovery solutions. To address these challenges, the Plan outlines a series of actions aimed at strengthening knowledge generation, promoting research and innovation, fostering cooperation across the value chain and improving communication and awareness on this topic.

At the same time, the Platform has launched a call for letters of interest addressed to companies, research centres, universities, public administrations and sectoral organisations. This phase will help assess stakeholder interest and analyse the technical and economic feasibility of the initiative before its formal launch.

The results of this process and the next steps towards the establishment of the Platform will be presented on 9 September during an in-person event in Vic. The event will provide an opportunity to share the conclusions of the work carried out so far, present the level of interest expressed by different sectors and define the roadmap for consolidating an initiative that aims to become a key driver of more sustainable nutrient management in Catalonia.