Agri Tech

The EU-funded ECONUTRI project’s nutrient management technologies are helping to reduce fertiliser dependency, eliminate pollution of aquifers and pave the way for more resilient agricultural systems

One of agriculture’s most pressing environmental challenges is nutrient pollution. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus from manure, slurry and synthetic fertilisers are over-fertilising soils and contaminating water and air, contributing to biodiversity loss, eutrophication and climate change. The ECONUTRI(opens in new window) project is tackling this problem with 24 technologies and nature-based solutions that minimise or even eliminate nitrogen and phosphorus losses from soil. The outcomes align with the European Green Deal’s goal to cut nutrient losses by 50 % by 2030.

Halting nutrient losses

Since its launch in 2022, the project has successfully developed and validated 10 different technologies designed to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus losses from organic biowastes. “A key achievement is the systematic coverage of all critical stages of nutrient loss along the agricultural production and biowaste management chain, including manure and slurry storage, anaerobic digestion, digestate separation, composting processes and soil application,” comments Dimitrios Savvas, professor at the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) that is coordinating the project. “Through this integrated approach, we show that nutrient emissions can be significantly reduced while simultaneously recovering, stabilising and valorising nutrients from biomass waste by converting them into agronomically valuable products.”

With respect to management of biomass occurring from barns, key results include acidifying animal slurry with sulfur to reduce ammonia emissions, with reductions between 30 and 35 % recorded during storage and composting, while also enhancing nitrogen retention. High nutrient recovery efficiencies were also achieved, particularly for phosphorus and ammonium, through struvite precipitation from the liquid fraction of biodigestate, with recovery rates of up to 92 % for phosphate and 66 % for ammonium. Other achievements include improved nutrient stabilisation during composting with selected beneficial microbial inocula and the correction of unbalanced nitrogen/phosphorus ratios in biowaste-derived fertilisers – a critical issue in regions with high livestock density.

To mitigate nitrate and phosphorus losses from fertiliser, ECONUTRI developed nine novel technologies. These include the NUTRISENSE decision support system (DSS) developed by the AUA team, the Veg-Sys DSS developed by the University of Almería, and the Virtual Lysimeter developed by Wageningen University & Research. The three DSSs deployed by ECONUTRI are aimed at supporting growers in applying economically viable and environment-friendly fertilisation practices in soil-grown and soilless horticultural crops through data and sensor-driven nutrient management. By dynamically adjusting fertiliser inputs to crop demand, in pilot tests the three DSSs contributed to substantial reductions in water, nitrogen and phosphorus use, which, indicatively, in soil-grown cucumber crops managed with the NUTRISENSE DSS reached 45 and 54 %, respectively. Furthermore, the same DSS improved the nitrogen and phosphorus use by 16 to 21 % and 5 to 46 % in soilless cucumber crops that took place during two consecutive years. Overall, the technologies demonstrated significant reductions in irrigation and fertiliser use and increases in water and nutrient use efficiency.

Reducing emissions

Eight ECONUTRI tools and technologies focused on mitigating greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions in barns, manure storage systems and fields. In dairy barns, biochar and frequent floor cleaning lowered ammonia emissions, while frequent manure removal from the pit in pig barns was found to cut methane emissions. In manure storage and composting, biochar treatment, and especially nanobiochar, showed significant potential for reducing nitrogen losses. Fertiliser alternatives and additives were also tested in arable fields, variable cropping systems and greenhouses, leading to measurable reductions in ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions ranging from 20 to 60 %.

ECONUTRI (Innovative concepts and technologies for ECOlogically sustainable NUTRIent management in agriculture aiming to prevent, mitigate and eliminate pollution in soils, water and air) is now focusing on integrating the tools into a cohesive nutrient management system and upscaling the technologies for commercial deployment. “A next step is to make the tools fully available and accessible to growers,” states Savvas. Through these efforts, the project will help reduce dependence on mineral fertilisers and make agricultural systems more resilient to volatile markets.

Image: © ECONUTRI Project / Agricultural Research Institute

Improved connectivity is transforming daily life in rural Europe, from safer school runs to cleaner energy, while supporting local economies and cutting emissions

Getting children ready and on time for school can be stressful. In Finnish Lapland, where winters are long and snowy and some students travel long distances by bus, the challenge is even greater.

In two Lapland communities, a school transport app developed through an EU-funded initiative called AURORAL has streamlined school bus pick-ups, reducing morning stress for parents and making life easier for bus drivers.

Behind the app lies a digital backbone developed by the AURORAL team. This shared foundation allows all kinds of rural services – from school buses to dairy farms and local energy schemes – to plug in, share data securely and work together, without each community having to build its own system.

Using the Koulukyyti app, parents in the municipalities of Kemi and Tornio can see at a glance if their children, aged 6 to 15, have arrived safely at school. Bus drivers get instant alerts if a child is absent or needs to be picked up from a different address, avoiding unnecessary trips.

The system is a clear improvement over previous methods: ticking off pupils on paper or sending early morning WhatsApp messages, said Seppo Ahola, project manager of the Lapland pilot.

“For parents, there’s an added sense of safety. For the transport operator, they know exactly when their responsibility starts and ends,” Ahola explained.

Safer school runs in Lapland

Around 90 children in Kemi and 120 in Tornio are signed up to the app, and Ahola hopes more municipalities will follow. Beyond convenience and safety, the system also benefits the environment. By reducing unnecessary journeys, it cuts energy use and emissions.

“We estimate annual savings of around 25%,” said Ahola. “But peace of mind for everyone is the biggest gain.”

The Lapland smart transport app is just one example of how improved connectivity can improve rural life. Christoph Hrdinka, an Austrian entrepreneur and AURORAL coordinator, points out that rural areas face many challenges not experienced in big cities: fewer jobs, limited infrastructure, less public transport and slower digital development.

Encouraging smart communities, which use digital tools to enhance energy, water, transport and communication services, is one way the EU hopes to improve daily life while supporting long-term goals such as the European Green Deal.

Building smart communities on shared tech

The COVID-19 pandemic, combined with a huge shift towards remote working, highlighted the need for better rural connectivity. The AURORAL team developed a technological solution to address the digital divide between rural and urban areas through the creation of smart communities.

The researchers developed middleware – software that links operating systems to user applications. They also worked with the participating communities on business plans, funding and stakeholder engagement.

“If you create smart communities with collaboration in mind, everyone can build on their strengths,” said Hrdinka. “It’s like European cooperation, but in a digital environment.”

Hrdinka, CEO of LuxActive and non-profit research centre SWISDATA, has lived in a rural area himself and understands the importance of connectivity.

“With this digital backbone, rural communities can share data with neighbours, but also with similar projects in other countries, all learning from each other.”

Dairy cows and wine for energy

The initiative brings together 25 organisations from 10 European countries, combining the expertise of tech developers, researchers and local authorities to show what smarter rural connectivity can really deliver on the ground.

The technology was tested in seven rural regions across Europe, from Finland, Norway and Sweden to Austria, Italy and Spain. It showed that one shared digital infrastructure can flex to support very different local needs, from healthcare and tourism to energy and transport.

Built to be open and interoperable, it allows services developed in one region to be adapted and reused in another, helping rural communities innovate without starting from scratch.

The possibilities go far beyond school buses. AURORAL’s platform can support a wide range of rural services. What that looks like in practice depends entirely on local needs.

In northern Italy, for example, dairy farmers are using the system to monitor the health and milk production of their cows. By sharing data securely with neighbouring farms, they can spot trends earlier, improve herd management and strengthen their businesses.

Further south in Catalonia’s Penedès region, the technology is helping to power a different kind of collaboration. Here, waste from centuries-old wineries is being transformed into biomass for renewable energy.

The digital platform helps connect winegrowers with the bioenergy sector, ensuring that the origin and processing of grape waste is well documented, so it can be turned into a reliable energy source.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw how digitalisation could help businesses adapt to new consumer habits and navigate growing administrative and regulatory requirements,” said Conrad Pagà Bordes, project manager at the Catalonia Bioenergy Cluster.

In both cases, the same digital foundation allows very different rural communities to build solutions that work for them – strengthening local economies while supporting greener ways of working.

Keeping the platform alive and growing

The four-year AURORAL project finished in March 2025, but the work carried out will continue to support rural communities, notably through the SmarTomorrow platform.

Through this online forum, participants can exchange knowledge and lessons learnt, get help with maintaining existing services or accessing public and private funding, and link up with like-minded people or technology providers to discuss future ideas.

“It’s important to have a digitalisation strategy that also favours smart rural environments and communities and can boost them in the future,” Pagà Bordes said.

From school runs in Lapland to dairy barns and vineyards further south, AURORAL shows how this digital backbone can give rural communities the tools they need to thrive on their own terms. The hope now is that more regions will plug in and adapt the technology to their needs.

Text: Helen Massy-Beresford

This article was originally published in Horizon the EU Research and Innovation Magazine.

A platform for farmers to integrate biodiversity into their practices can bring numerous ecosystem benefits and strengthen the resilience of European agriculture.

Biodiversity can improve soil health, reduce the need for external inputs and support climate adaptation. However, farmers often lack the tools and information needed to manage these complex systems effectively. PATH2DEA(opens in new window) aims to tackle this gap directly.

The EU-funded project explores how digital technologies can make agroecology more practical, helping farmers understand ecosystem dynamics, monitor biodiversity and make informed decisions in real time. As project coordinator Stefan Pfeiffer from the Austrian Institute of Technology(opens in new window) explains: “Agroecology is a truly sustainable way of farming because it works with entire ecosystems. But that also makes it far more complex, and farmers need support tools that help them understand and manage it.”

Identifying obstacles to adoption of nature-based solutions

PATH2DEA began by examining what prevents farmers from adopting digital tools for agroecology. A nine-language survey gathered 533 responses across eight countries from farmers, advisors and farmers’ organisations already working with or transitioning towards agroecological or organic systems.

The results showed a lack of accessible information, tools that are often too complex and concerns about data use and privacy. “There is not enough easily accessible knowledge about the digital tools that could support agroecology,” notes Pfeiffer. “And many are still too complicated for everyday use. Farmers need clarity, trust and tools that actually match their reality.”

Putting digital agroecology to the test

To understand how digital tools work in practice, PATH2DEA collaborated with six agroecological showcase farms across Europe, including greenhouse vegetable production and vineyard systems in Spain, vineyard systems in Catalonia, cooperative mixed farming in France, agroforestry in Belgium, smallholder olive farming in Tuscany Italy and organic grazing in Hungary. “We made sure to include very different types of farms in very different climatic regions so that we gained a complete picture,” says Pfeiffer.

The pilots produced several positive outcomes for both biodiversity and climate. In Tuscany, a biodiversity-oriented decision support tool showed farmers how changes in management affected insects and pollinators, giving them ecological feedback they could act on. In Belgium, agroforestry modelling helped farmers understand shading and water needs in walnut-based systems, supporting more informed planning of tree–crop combinations. The diversity of the showcase sites demonstrated that digital tools must be adapted to specific climatic, soil and production contexts for agroecological approaches and nature-based solutions to be genuinely useful in practice.

A foundation for nature-based farming

One of PATH2DEA’s most notable deliverables is its Open Source Repository of digital tools and technologies, combining a searchable database, an evaluation framework co-developed with farmers and practical examples from the showcases. The repository uses an AI-assisted mechanism to gather up-to-date information from technology providers and will be maintained long term by the European AGROECOLOGY Partnership(opens in new window). As Pfeiffer explains: “We realised that a simple list of tools would not be enough, so we designed a platform that could actually support farmers and would not disappear when the project ends.”

PATH2DEA is also finalising a 10-year roadmap that identifies priority areas for digital support to agroecology, including better access to technology, stronger knowledge exchange, farmer-controlled data governance and business models that make nature-based solutions in sustainable farming more viable.

Together, these outputs show how digital tools can reinforce ecological knowledge, help farmers respond to biodiversity signals and make agroecological management more practical. In doing so, they help lay the groundwork for a nature-based resilient future for European agriculture.

The start-up has developed a measuring device and an application that farmers can use to generate highly precise and specific fertilization recommendations for their crops

From plant data to fertilizer recommendations in just a few minutes

In agricultural practice, the amount of fertilizer applied to crops is usually based on standardized calculations or empirical values. This can lead to unspecific, inefficient fertilization. This, in turn, leads to environmental pollution and increased costs for agricultural businesses. However, specifically determining the amount of fertilizer required based on the nutritional status of the plants is expensive and time-consuming for farms. NutriSen wants to change that. “What we wanted to achieve is a laboratory in the field, a democratization of data-supported agriculture,” explains Débora Moretti from the LiveSen-MAP research project team. In the project, she and other researchers, funded by the EIC Transition, were able to investigate a technology for precise fertilization.

Farmers collect plant stalks from their fields and crush them. The escaping substrate is applied to biosensor strips and the measuring device developed by the team determines the phosphate and nitrate values of the plants from the strip. The NutriSen application then creates a high-resolution map of the field in just a few minutes using satellite data from the European Copernicus earth observation programme with the values and corresponding fertilizer recommendations for each section of the field. According to the team, this can reduce the amount of fertilizer used by up to 20 percent.

From the idea to the field test

The team led by Tobias Vöpel and Alaa Oughli already received funding from the EXIST research transfer program in 2021. This allowed the group to grow further, and Débora Moretti joined them in 2022. Together with Nicolas Plumeré, Professor of Electrobiotechnology at TUM, they founded NutriSen in 2023 to test the technology developed in the LiveSen-MAP project and put it into practice.

To found their start-up, they took part in the XPLORE program of UnternehmerTUM, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The program aims to prepare teams for founding a company and to establish a network. The support provided by the TUM Venture Lab Sustainability also helped the team, reports Tobias Vöpel: “The Venture Lab also helped us to build up our network. The feedback we received when applying for funding from the European Innovation Council was also particularly valuable - and we were successful.”

The technology is now in the second test phase with agricultural businesses. “The feedback from the first phase has already enabled us to improve the sensors and the application. In the second phase, almost 100 farms are now testing the sensors on site in the field,” explains Débora Moretti. Based on the results of the field trials, the nitrate measurement product is to be launched on the market next year.

Image: The team behind NutriSen: Alaa Oughli, Tobias Vöpel, Débora Moretti and Prof. Nicolas Plumeré. (Otto Zellmer/TUM)

The EU-funded CONFETI project is developing a self-powered, sustainable solution to fertiliser production that can be used even in countries with limited resources

The CONFETI project was launched with the ambitious goal to tackle four critical global challenges that contribute to climate change, environmental degradation and inequality between countries. The challenges in question are rising CO2 emissions, energy demand, food scarcity and nitrogen pollution. The project is addressing them by developing a more environmentally friendly and energy saving method of producing fertilisers using no vital resources and producing zero chemical waste and carbon emissions.

From harmful to beneficial

CONFETI is working on capturing environmentally harmful CO2 and nitrogen pollutants and converting them into valuable products, such as urea using organic matter in the soil and sunlight as an energy source. Through this approach, it will turn waste into an energy efficient resource with minimal environmental impact, promoting a circular economy model and sustainable agricultural practices around the world.

The self-sustaining system envisioned by the project will use photo and electrochemical technologies to capture CO2 and nitrogen directly from air or flue gas. It will then convert these gases into urea in situ using sustainable energy sources, and deliver the resulting fertiliser autonomously, without the need for storage and transport. “The project is focused on promoting environmental sustainability by revolutionising the way fertilisers are produced, in line with global goals to reduce the impact of climate change and food scarcity in resource-limited countries,” explains Gonzalo Guirado López, a professor at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, which is coordinating the CONFETI project.

Just about halfway into its 3-year mandate, the CONFETI team has already demonstrated the capture of CO2 and nitrogen from air and their conversion to nitrogenated organic compounds. Considerable improvements have also been achieved in energy production through soil microbial fuel cells – a threefold reduction in the start-up time and a twofold increase in the power produced by modifying the architecture of the fuel cell and the configuration of the anode and cathode. All these individual aspects will be integrated into a single autonomous platform for in situ fertilisation.

“By 2026, CONFETI aims to transform agriculture and food production,” states Guirado. The miniaturised in situ fertilisation system will enable low-cost and non-supervised urea production that will have a significant impact on agricultural costs, not only reducing fertiliser delivery and storage costs, but also the final cost of food. The benefits of the CONFETI (Green valorization of CO2 and Nitrogen compounds for making fertilizers) project’s simple and cost-effective technology can be reaped not only by developed countries but also by resource-limited countries where the lack of energy sources and specialised personnel usually inhibits the implementation of new technologies.

Presents substantial growth opportunities, with cell factories playing a critical role in producing essential food ingredients while advancing sustainability and resilience against climate change, presents the new report by VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, Natural Resources Institute Finland and University of Helsinki

Cellular agriculture is a rapidly developing and promising food production method. It can accelerate building a sustainable and profitable food system in Finland and the whole Europe. VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, Natural Resources Institute Finland and University of Helsinki have investigated the current state of cellular agriculture and listed eight recommendations for policymakers at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Business Finland. The most urgent measures include investments in production-scale infrastructures and expediting and streamlining EU’s regulatory process.

Cellular agriculture involves the use of cell cultures, such as microbial, algae, plant, insect, or animal cells, and bioreactors for food production. Cell factories produce various ingredients, such as proteins and fats, for the food and feed industries. Additionally, cell cultures can produce ingredients for products like coffee and cocoa, whose traditional cultivation is becoming challenging due to climate change.

"The future food system will be based on the interplay between modern agriculture and cellular agriculture, utilizing circular economy solutions. This development brings many new business opportunities for Finland and the food system actors. We must identify the necessary change paths and ensure that measures consider the entire chain, from farmers to consumers and other stakeholders," says State Secretary Päivi Nerg from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Cellular agriculture is a strategically important sector that, in addition to economic growth, increases food self-sufficiency, resilience, and strategic autonomy of individual countries like Finland, but also the EU. The market volume forecast is promising, and the report estimates the export potential for Finland to be €500-1000 million by 2035. In addition, significant infrastructure investments open opportunities for billions in exports of equipment, technology, and expertise.

Achieving success requires significant investments and regulatory changes

To turn the vision of a new food system into reality and exports, companies and investors need the courage to seize the market shift. The government also needs to take action, including supporting investments and measures to increase international companies' interest in investing in Finland.

"One of Finland's biggest challenges currently is the lack of capital, which limits the growth opportunities of cellular agriculture. Building production facilities requires large investments, and success will not come without government support to accelerate investments and realize venture capital investments," says Emilia Nordlund from VTT, who led the study.

The report also proposes launching a five-year, €100 million research, development, and innovation program to accelerate the sector in Finland. Additionally, it is critical to ease the market entry of novel foods to allow the sector to grow. The current EU regulations and approval processes slow down the development of cellular agriculture and drive companies to the United States and Asia. This issue calls for action at the EU level.

Feedstocks, energy infrastructure, and top experts are Finland's competitive advantages

There is plenty of carbohydrate-rich side streams, such as straw, sawdust, wood chips, and grass biomass in Finland, which could be utilized as feedstocks for cellular agriculture. For example, if more than half of the straw were used as a sugar source for cell factories, the produced microbial protein would be enough to meet the annual protein needs of Finns.

"Top-level expertise in industrial biotechnology combined with the processing knowledge of agricultural and forestry biomass and renewable energy infrastructure can offer Finland a competitive edge. As a small and agile country, we can collaborate smoothly and create innovations that integrate cell factories seamlessly into the food production system," summarizes Emilia Nordlund.

"Compared internationally, Finland is at the forefront of development, but now it is important to take action and realize the predicted growth opportunities for the sector. Finnish companies should recognize their strengths as part of emerging new value networks and build their competitiveness in the long term together with research organizations. Business Finland is already currently funding ambitious cellular agriculture RDI projects, so there is no need to wait for a separate program," says Executive Director Teija Lahti-Nuuttila from Business Finland.

8 steps to promote cellular agriculture in Finland

Accelerate investments in infrastructure: Finland needs an action plan to increase venture capital investments and international companies' interest in investing in Finland. Investing in infrastructure is essential to enable new value chains, and the government must create risk financing and loan instruments to enable factory investments.

Expedite EU-level regulatory processes: Current regulations slow down the sector's development. Establish an office in Finland that provides concrete support for the novel food process in cellular agriculture: both financial assistance and advice. The office would also actively influence the EU to expedite, support, and ease the adoption of new technologies.

Launch an RDI program: A five-year, €100 million research, development, and innovation program would produce innovations for the future food system, combining traditional agriculture and cellular agriculture. The program aims to create sustainable solutions that leverage Finland's strengths, such as technological expertise and abundant natural resources.

Establish a Ministry of Future Food: A joint working group or organization of ministries would develop the future food system. The organization would also support the RDI program and promote cross-sectoral collaboration.

Secure future experts for the sector: The knowledge base must be expanded, and education programs developed to meet the growing demands of the sector. Education should produce experts and expertise for the food sector broadly, including cellular agriculture and circular economy.

Support consumer communication and enable public tastings: Communicating inspiringly about cellular agriculture innovations and allowing public tasting events increases consumer awareness of the future and familiarity with new products. Consumer participation in co-development should be enabled. Expert-organized tastings of novel foods should be allowed in Finland.

Integrate primary production into cellular agriculture value chains: The production and quality standardization of feedstocks for cellular agriculture processes are critical in the new value chains, and it also opens new business opportunities for primary producers. Incentives must be created to enhance collaboration with primary producers.

Target support functions for exports: When assessing the growth and export potential of cellular agriculture, both domestic production and related product exports, as well as equipment, technology, expertise exports, and IP licensing, must be considered. Building factories and value chains abroad should not be forgotten. Support functions should target all aspects of exports and understand the development prospects of different export markets.

The study was conducted by mapping the current state of cellular agriculture and the development of the operating environment in Finland and international markets. Additionally, expert knowledge was gathered through stakeholder interviews and vision workshops.

Source: Emilia Nordlund (Research Manager)