Project DIGIP: Possibilities of using digestate from biogas plant as fertilizer and soil improver

European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development

Measure 16, Submeasure 16.1.“Support for fouding and work of operational groups of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) for productivity and sustainability“ –  Implementation of operation 16.1.2. Operational groups.

The Agency for Payments in Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development approved the financing of the project idea "Possibilities of using digestate from biogas plant as fertilizer and soil improver (DIGIP)" which was reported under the Rural Development Programme, Measure 16, Submeasure 16.1. "Support for the establishment and work of operational European Innovation Partnership (EIP) for Productivity and Sustainability ”- implementation of the type of operation 16.1.2. Operational groups.

Križevci University of Applied Sciences is the responsible person of the Operational Group, and the partners in the project are six family farms (OPG) from the area of two local self-government units, the Municipality of Sveti Petar Orehovec and the Municipality of Gradec (northwestern Croatia), which are also partners in the project. The research will be conducted on the fields of the partners farms.

Project manager is Ivka Kvaternjak, Ph.D., college professor (ikvaternjak@vguk.hr ).

The total project budget is HRK 1.374.789,88. The project is co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) in 100% of the eligible costs. The estimated duration of the project is 34 months.

Project summary

The use of digestate as an organic fertilizer and soil improver is much researched in the countries of the European Union. However, according to available data in Croatia, there is almost no such research. Due to the lack of research in Croatia on the impact of digestate on soil characteristics, yield and yield quality, there is distrust among agricultural producers to use digestate for fertilization purposes. Farms near biogas plants use digestate, but digestate is not used on the basis of scientifically based recommendations, which can result in various problems in cultivation, but also in the environment, or, on the other hand, in insufficient use of digestate's potential for agricultural production. .

Project objectives:  

• to determine the influence of digestate on the physical and chemical properties of the soil
• to determine the influence of digestate on the dynamics of nutrients in the soil and the availability of nutrients to the plant
• to determine the impact of digestate on the yield and quality of agricultural crops
• to determine the possible negative impact of digestate on soil and cultivated crops
• to determine the economic viability of the use of digestate

Research within the Project would create a scientific and professional basis for the use of digestate in agriculture.