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ABSTRACT
Adequate treatment of organic manures and digestates from livestock production should reduce environmental impacts and provide well-defined and attractive biofertlisers for a crop production market, which can promote the closure of the nutrient cycle in agriculture. In this sense, a survey was conducted during the autumn of 2021 to investigate Swedish farmers’ perspectives on organic fertilisers use. The survey consisted of an online questionnaire, which was distributed broadly in the social media, homepages, different types of networks and at course events in order to reach all types of farms. There were 22 questions focused on current use, reasons for current use and preferences for future use. The analysis of the 99 fully responded surveys, demonstrated that 43% of the respondents think that they will increase their use of organic fertilisers in the coming 5–10 years and 60% think that they will use manure digestate in different forms (both solid and liquid fractions). Soil improvement was the main reason to use organic fertilisers, but there were also preferences for organic fertilisers with fast release of nutrients. The risk of soil compaction was the main reason not to use organic fertilisers and based on the responses, pellets and granulates seem to be more interesting than liquids and solids in general. Animal manures dominate the current use of organic fertilisers in Sweden however, other types of organic waste such as digestate and digestate derived fertilisers seems appealing to Swedish farmers. In conclusion, from this survey with 62% of the respondees in crop production, we found several indications of that there is a potential for increased use of organic fertilisers in Sweden on farms with limited use today. We found an openness, a broad interest and a demand for different types of products of different forms and origin. Since this demand in the end will almost always depend on the price of products in relation to the price of mineral fertilisers, which are fluctuating, we see the need of policy incentives in order to stimulate initiatives for the development towards increased circularity of nutrients.
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Notes on contributors
Priscila de Morais Lima
Priscila de Morais Lima is a researcher and consultant with extensive experience in life cycle assessment (LCA), climate, and environmental issues. She is currently working as a researcher at the Research Institute of Sweden (RISE), where she focuses on providing data for decision-making based on environmental performance. Her research interests include waste management, sanitation systems, and resource recovery.
Helena Aronsson
Helena Aronsson is a senior lecturer in nutrient management, with half-time extension duties. She has a long-term experience of field research about measures for improved nutrient use efficiency and reduced losses to the environment, as manure management practices on farms.
Line Strand
Line Strand is a Swedish agricultural adviser who works for Hushållningssällskapet. She is specialized in crop production and environmental issues, and provides advice on biogas and biofertilizer.
Marie Björs
Marie Björs was a master student in plant production at SLU and did her master thesis in the projects which provided data for the current study.
Athanasios Pantelopoulos
Athanasios Pantelopoulos is a researcher focusing on treatments of effluents from agricultural activities and on the effects of exogenous organic matter on carbon and nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus) cycling in arable soils.