The organic matter content of Flemish agricultural soils shows a clearly declining trend. This is not only negative for soil quality and the associated yield guarantee into the future. It also shows that the agricultural sector is engaging in carbon degradation on its intensively cultivated soils. In times of increasing social interest in climate issues, this is not the signal the sector wishes to send. Storing carbon in the soil under the form of organic matter is so important for soil that it can be seen as a life insurance policy. It is the driving force of so many other factors (water management, nutrient retention, ...) that are even more important in climatically uncertain times. With that, carbon has strong leverage that will be hugely important in the long term.
This project aims to increase organic matter content by focusing on products rich in organic matter. It focuses both on more familiar products like farmyard manure or compost to lesser-known products like miscanthus or wood chips. With the alternative products like wood chips and derivatives (shredded wood, woodchip screenings), the project also focuses on closing cycles. In this way, it also offers opportunities for rural partnerships that are underused today. By demonstrating the potential of the aforementioned soil improvers, the partners aim to provide farmers with opportunities to feed the soil sufficiently and within the strict framework of manure legislation.
