The main goal of the STRATUS network is to identify at least 48 Best Practices in Integrated Fertilization Management (IFM) throughout the European Union. This ambitious goal requires a rigorous selection process to ensure the chosen practices are not only effective but also sustainable and replicable across diverse regions. To this end, the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), and Wageningen University Research (WUR) worked together on a framework for identifying economically feasible and sustainable fertilization practices: The STRATUS D3.1 Protocol. It serves as a guide for the Fertilization Innovation Networks (FINs) to efficiently collect and analyse data related to Good Practices (GPs) and Research Innovations (RIs), and provides a standardized framework for evaluating their potential.
The D3.1 protocol is divided into two parts. The first part provides a quick-scan approach, designed to rapidly assess the potential of each identified GP or RI. The second part focuses on a more detailed analysis of selected Best Practices (BPs), delving deeper into their economic, environmental, and social impacts.
The quick-scan protocol uses a series of questions to gather information about each practice, addressing aspects such as on-farm applicability, farm-economic effects, regulatory aspects, environmental considerations, and social acceptance. This standardized approach ensures a consistent evaluation of the collected data across the different networks and geographic areas.
The detailed analysis protocol focusses on the long-term benefits and challenges associated with each BP. It aims to assess the practice’s impact on various aspects such as crop yield, crop quality, cost-effectiveness, and labour requirements.
We believe The D3.1 protocol is a crucial tool for the STRATUS project, and we hope that it will help the FIN network participants in their exciting quest for fertilization practices that will eventually contribute to a more sustainable and efficient agricultural system.
Author: Maarten Verbrugghe, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Social Sciences Unit