Transformation for sustainable nutrient supply and management

The Dutch trans4num site investigates plant-based fertilisation as a circular alternative to animal manure. At the long-term Planty Organic experimental field, legume biomass grown within the crop rotation is harvested and returned to the soil to reduce dependence on external nutrient inputs while maintaining a balanced farm nutrient cycle. Results demonstrate the potential of plant-based fertilisation to improve nutrient circularity, although long-term agronomic and economic performance requires further evaluation.

The need

Specialised organic arable farms without livestock often rely on externally sourced organic manure, which can be scarce and expensive. The Dutch site addresses the need to develop more self-sufficient nutrient management systems for seed potato and arable production while reducing dependence on synthetic fertilisers, animal manure and imported nutrients. Located near vulnerable Natura 2000 areas, the site also seeks to maintain productivity while protecting sensitive ecosystems.

One of the main challenges is synchronising nutrient release from plant biomass with crop demand throughout the growing season. Additional research is needed to assess long-term productivity, land-use efficiency, economic feasibility and scalability under commercial farming conditions.

The benefits

• Reduced dependence on external organic manure through plant-based fertilisation.
• Greater nutrient circularity by recycling nitrogen within crop rotations.
• Decision support through the NDICEA nutrient model.
• New opportunities for specialised arable systems and animal-free fertilisation.
• Strong knowledge exchange through SPNA field trials, advisors and farmer engagement.

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The UK trans4num site combines recycled fertilisers with long-term farming system experiments to demonstrate Nature-based Solutions (NBS) for sustainable nutrient management. At North Wyke, the recycled phosphorus fertiliser Thallo achieved yields comparable to conventional mineral fertilisers, while the Rothamsted Large-Scale Rotation Experiment (LSRE) evaluates compost, organic amendments, crop rotations, reduced tillage and smart crop protection. Together, the results show that NBS can reduce reliance on mineral fertilisers, improve soil health and support more resilient farming, although successful adoption depends on local conditions and long-term management.

The need

The UK site addresses the need to reduce dependence on conventional mineral fertilisers while maintaining crop productivity under increasingly variable climate conditions. Particular emphasis is placed on phosphorus security, as conventional phosphorus fertilisers rely on rock phosphate resources concentrated in a limited number of geopolitically sensitive regions.

The site also responds to the need for robust, long-term evidence on integrated NBS systems. Farmers require reliable information on how compost, recycled fertilisers, crop rotations, reduced tillage and crop protection influence yields, soil health, pest and disease pressure, labour requirements and profitability before adopting new practices.

The benefits

• Recycled phosphorus fertiliser produced yields equivalent to conventional fertilisers.
• Livestock by-products are recycled, reducing dependence on mined rock phosphate.
• Thallo supplies additional micronutrients, including zinc, manganese and copper.
• Compost and organic amendments improve soil carbon and resilience over time.
• Long-term experiments identify agronomically viable NBS combinations.
• Field trials improve confidence by identifying both opportunities and risks.

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The Hungarian trans4num site demonstrates how multiple Nature-based Solutions (NBS) can be integrated into a low-input arable farming system. Compared with conventional management, the NBS approach maintained crop nutrient status, improved soil health indicators and reduced CO₂ emissions per unit of yield, particularly for sorghum and durum wheat. While yields varied between crops and seasons, the results demonstrate the potential of NBS to support climate-resilient farming. Long-term monitoring, advisory support and farmer demonstrations are essential for successful adoption.

The need

The Hungarian NBS site addresses the need to make intensive arable production more resilient, lower-input and better suited to the ecologically sensitive Szigetköz region. Located within a productive agricultural landscape that is also part of a Natura 2000 area, the site combines crop production with biodiversity conservation, soil protection and sustainable nutrient management.

The project also responds to a practical adoption gap. Although many NBS are already known, farmers need evidence that they can work together as a complete farming system under commercial conditions. The site therefore evaluates agronomic performance alongside monitoring approaches and decision-support tools that facilitate practical implementation.

The benefits

• Lower CO₂ emissions per unit of yield measured.
• Maintained plant nutrient status with reduced conventional inputs.
• Positive trends in soil organic carbon, organic matter and nitrogen.
• Crop yields maintained, with higher yields recorded for all crops in 2024.
• Site-specific nutrient management supported by soil, leaf, drone, satellite and CO₂ monitoring.
• Greater compatibility between productive farming and biodiversity conservation.

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Successful Nature-based Solutions (NBS) depend not only on innovative technologies but also on the people and organisations that support them. The trans4num project found that innovations are more likely to move beyond pilot projects when farmers, advisors, researchers, businesses and policymakers collaborate over time. Strong Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS), stable funding and continuous knowledge exchange help adapt innovations to local conditions and support their long-term uptake, while fragmented networks and short-term support limit wider adoption.

The need

Many promising NBS remain in early development because they lack strong networks connecting farmers, advisors, businesses and policymakers. Across Europe, weak coordination, missing actors and fragmented funding slow innovation and prevent solutions from becoming part of everyday farming practice.

The benefits

Well-functioning advisory and innovation networks improve farmers' access to practical knowledge, reduce risks and encourage the adoption of new practices. Strong cooperation between actors increases the likelihood that innovations are adapted to local conditions, become economically viable and receive long-term support from policy and markets.

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Nature-based Solutions (NBS) require farmers and policymakers to balance environmental, economic and social trade-offs. Within trans4num, a suite of complementary modelling tools was developed to explore future scenarios before actions are implemented. By combining Decision Support Tools (DST), Agent-Based Models (ABM) and Food System Models (FSM), stakeholders can assess the impacts of management practices and policy options, reducing uncertainty and supporting evidence-based decision-making.

The need

Farmers and policymakers need practical tools to plan the transition to more sustainable agriculture. Decisions on NBS involve trade-offs between productivity, environmental performance and costs, yet many existing models are either too technical or poorly adapted to real-world decision-making. There is therefore a need for models that reflect conditions across the entire value chain while remaining simple, transparent and easy to interpret.

The benefits

Well-designed modelling tools allow stakeholders to test alternative scenarios before implementation, reducing risks and improving decision-making. They support better targeted policies, more effective incentives and wider adoption of sustainable practices by answering practical questions such as:

• What happens if new nitrogen policies are introduced?
• What if nature-based solutions are scaled up?
• What are the trade-offs between production, environmental performance and costs?

Early applications, including the Danish ABM prototype, demonstrated the ability to assess farmer behaviour, profitability and environmental outcomes. Stakeholder feedback also highlighted that models must remain transparent and understandable to avoid being perceived as "black boxes".

• Explore: Using modelling tools to support better farming and policy decisions
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Millions of tonnes of crop residues are produced annually in China, yet much of this biomass remains underutilised. Within the trans4num project, an innovative grain–mushroom rotation system was developed that converts wheat and maize straw into valuable mushroom products while improving soil fertility, increasing crop yields and creating new income opportunities. The system demonstrates how circular agriculture can generate both environmental and economic benefits.

The need

Agricultural systems in the Henan region face declining soil organic matter, poor utilisation of crop residues, inefficient nutrient cycling, environmental impacts from residue management and increasing pressure to improve productivity sustainably. Converting agricultural by-products into valuable resources offers an opportunity to restore soil health while strengthening farm resilience.

The benefits

For farmers

• Additional income from mushroom production.
• Higher grain yields.
• Improved soil fertility.
• Reduced weed pressure.

For the environment

• Increased soil organic matter.
• Enhanced carbon sequestration.
• Improved nutrient recycling.
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

For rural development

• New value chains and business opportunities.
• Better utilisation of agricultural by-products.
• Increased resource efficiency.

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Intensive vegetable and maize production systems in China often rely heavily on synthetic fertilisers, contributing to soil degradation, nutrient losses and declining soil carbon. Within the trans4num project, different organic nutrient management strategies were tested to partially replace chemical fertilisers with locally available organic resources. Results show that fertiliser use can be substantially reduced while maintaining crop yields and improving soil health.

The need

Farmers require sustainable nutrient management approaches that reduce dependence on mineral fertilisers, improve soil fertility and soil carbon stocks, minimise nutrient losses to the environment, maintain crop productivity and strengthen the long-term resilience of farming systems.

The benefits

For farmers

• Lower fertiliser requirements.
• Improved nutrient-use efficiency.
• Stable crop yields.
• Improved soil fertility.

For the environment

• Increased carbon sequestration.
• Reduced nitrogen losses.
• Improved soil structure.
• Better nutrient cycling.

For society

• Greater recycling of agricultural and food waste.
• Reduced dependence on external fertiliser inputs.
• More sustainable food production systems.

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Soybean production in Northeast China is increasingly affected by soil degradation, moisture loss, rising production costs and climate variability. Conventional tillage disturbs soil structure, accelerates moisture loss and increases labour requirements. Within the trans4num project, conservation agriculture approaches were tested to reduce soil disturbance while maintaining productivity. Results show that no-tillage systems can improve crop establishment, lower production costs and support more resilient soybean production.

The need

Soybean growers face several challenges, including reduced soil moisture during crop establishment, increasing costs linked to intensive tillage, weed pressure, unstable crop emergence, soil degradation caused by repeated soil disturbance, and the need to maintain yields while reducing environmental impacts.

The benefits

For farmers

• Lower fuel, labour and machinery costs.
• Improved crop establishment.
• Higher yield potential.
• Fewer tillage operations.

For the environment

• Better soil moisture conservation.
• Reduced soil disturbance and erosion risk.
• Improved soil biological activity.
• More efficient use of resources.

For advisors and policymakers

• A practical pathway towards conservation agriculture.
• Lower environmental footprint without sacrificing productivity.
• A scalable solution for large soybean-growing regions.

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Climate change, soil degradation and water scarcity are placing increasing pressure on European agriculture. Although nature-based solutions (NBS) such as cover cropping, reduced tillage and organic soil regeneration are widely promoted, farmers often struggle to detect early signs of soil and crop stress. The Soil & Plant Monitoring approach developed within trans4num makes soil and crop conditions measurable through field observations, monitoring tools and data-driven methods, helping farmers optimise resource use and implement NBS more effectively.

The need

Many soil degradation processes (including compaction, reduced water retention, nutrient imbalance and declining biological activity) develop gradually and remain invisible until crop performance has already declined. Climate extremes such as prolonged drought and irregular rainfall further increase pressure on soils and crops. Reliance on visual observations alone often results in delayed interventions and inefficient use of water and fertilisers, while natural variability within fields complicates management decisions.

Practical field-level monitoring is therefore essential to support early decision-making, adapt NBS to local conditions, verify field trial results and guide nutrient management throughout the growing season.

The benefits

The monitoring approach:

• Detects soil and crop stress early.
• Improves water and nutrient management.
• Reduces unnecessary fertiliser and irrigation inputs.
• Supports implementation of NBS and soil regeneration.
• Improves understanding of soil variability.
• Strengthens climate resilience.
• Enables data-driven farm management by combining field observations with digital technologies.

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Soil processes are largely invisible, making it difficult for farmers to assess whether sustainable practices improve soil health. Within the trans4num project, soil CO₂ emission monitoring was tested as a practical tool to evaluate the effects of nature-based solutions (NBS) on soil biological activity, nutrient cycling and carbon efficiency. Combined with soil, plant and drone monitoring, CO₂ measurements help farmers make more informed decisions and better understand how management practices influence long-term soil resilience.

The need

Many soil degradation processes develop gradually and remain unnoticed until crop performance declines. Reduced biological activity, poor soil structure, lower water retention and inefficient nutrient cycling cannot easily be detected through visual observation alone. Farmers therefore need practical monitoring tools that provide early information on soil functioning and help evaluate whether NBS deliver environmental benefits. These challenges are particularly relevant in Hungary's Szigetköz region, where agricultural production is affected by changing groundwater conditions, drought risk and strong natural soil variability.

The benefits

Soil CO₂ monitoring:

• Makes below-ground biological activity visible.
• Assesses whether NBS improve soil functioning.
• Supports more precise nutrient management.
• Links climate mitigation with everyday farm management.
• Identifies spatial and temporal variability within fields.
• Strengthens advisory services, demonstration activities and farmer learning.
• Supports long-term monitoring of regenerative agricultural practices.

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The Soil Profile Display at the Tündérsziget Ökopark in Dunasziget, Hungary, is a living outdoor classroom developed within the trans4num project. Through three full-depth soil profiles, visitors can observe authentic soil layers, root systems and biological activity beneath the surface. Together with the trans4num NBS Toolkit, it creates a complete learning experience linking hands-on experimentation with real-world landscape processes, making soil health and nature-based solutions (NBS) tangible for diverse audiences.

The need

Healthy soils underpin food production, water regulation, biodiversity and climate resilience, yet most soil processes occur underground and remain invisible. In the Szigetköz region, centuries of river regulation and water management have reshaped the floodplain landscape and influenced soil development. Understanding how soils function, how roots shape soil structure, and how farming practices affect long-term soil health is essential for sustainable land management.

The Soil Profile Display addresses this challenge by transforming complex soil processes into visible, engaging and easy-to-understand learning experiences.

The benefits

The installation enables visitors to:

• Visualise soil horizons and soil formation.
• Understand how roots regenerate and structure soils.
• Observe the effects of crop rotation, cover crops, legumes and deep-rooting species.
• Increase awareness of soil biodiversity and biological functions.
• Support practical learning on NBS and sustainable soil management.
• Provide an engaging educational environment for schools, farmers, advisors and policymakers, transforming soil science into a memorable experience.

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Although the benefits of nature-based solutions (NBS) are well established, farmers and advisors often find available information too abstract and difficult to translate into practice. Developed within the trans4num project, the NBS Toolkit creates an experiential learning environment where farmers, advisors and students can directly observe, test and understand NBS in practice.

The need

Climate change and intensive farming threaten soil health, water balance and nutrient cycling. Feedback from trans4num activities in Hungary showed that stakeholders are frustrated by contradictory information, while soil degradation processes remain largely invisible in everyday farming.

The NBS Toolkit addresses this gap by making hidden soil processes visible and understandable, linking scientific principles with real-world experience.

The benefits

The toolkit provides:

• Immediate visualisation by demonstrating soil erosion, compaction and healthy soil processes through hands-on experiments.
• Risk-free simulation, allowing users to test management decisions and immediately observe their potential impacts.
• A "seeing is believing" experience that reduces uncertainty around NBS by providing practical evidence of sustainable farming practices.
• Intergenerational learning, combining story-driven, comic-style materials co-created with young people to communicate complex concepts to all age groups.
• Social dialogue, linking policy objectives with practical realities and supporting communication between farmers, advisors, policymakers and local communities.

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Livestock production generates valuable food and materials, but bones and other unused by-products are often lost from the agricultural system. Animal bones contain hydroxyapatite, a calcium phosphate mineral that can be converted into a plant-available phosphorus fertiliser. Field trials have shown that this recycled phosphorus source can achieve crop yields comparable to conventional phosphorus fertilisers.

The need

Fertilisation is essential to replace nutrients removed through crop production and maintain agricultural productivity. Phosphorus fertilisers are mainly produced from mined rock phosphate, but this resource faces two major challenges. Around 80% of global reserves are located in Morocco and Western Sahara, making supplies vulnerable to geopolitical instability, while some rock phosphate contains cadmium, creating a risk of long-term soil contamination.

Recycling phosphorus from animal bones offers a circular alternative that reduces dependence on imported rock phosphate while avoiding cadmium contamination.

The benefits

The recycled phosphorus fertiliser provides several advantages:

• It recovers livestock waste and creates an additional domestic source of phosphorus, supporting more resilient fertiliser supply chains.
• It avoids cadmium contamination associated with some mined rock phosphate.
• Besides phosphorus, it also supplies other crop nutrients. For winter wheat, the fertiliser can provide the full phosphorus and sulphur requirements, together with around 6% of nitrogen and 8% of potassium needs, reducing fertiliser costs and resource use.
• Developing fertilisers from livestock by-products can create new value chains and increase the economic value of animal production.

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The trans4num Decision Support Tool (DST) bridges the gap between farm-level nutrient management and landscape-scale environmental impacts. By linking field-level actions to broader outcomes, it helps farmers, advisors and policymakers plan and optimise nature-based solutions (NBS), visualise trade-offs, and collaboratively identify efficient, regionally adapted strategies for sustainable agriculture.

The need

Agricultural nutrient management decisions are usually made at farm or field level, while impacts such as nitrogen leaching, water pollution, biodiversity loss and soil degradation occur across landscapes. The DST was developed to bridge this mismatch by:

• linking field actions to landscape outcomes;
• visualising trade-offs between environmental objectives and agricultural productivity across different spatial scales;
• supporting the planning and implementation of NBS at landscape level; and
• fostering collaboration between farmers, advisors, policymakers and the wider bioeconomy sector.

The benefits

For farmers and farmer associations

• Demonstrates how field management influences landscape outcomes.
• Identifies new value chains, such as perennial grass or catch crops linked to green biorefineries.
• Evaluates realistic crop rotations rather than single-year crops or unrealistic farm redesigns.
• Supports cooperative decision-making across shared landscapes.

For advisors and policymakers
The DST facilitates dialogue between stakeholders, visualises environmental and economic trade-offs, strengthens advisory services by translating technical outputs into practical recommendations, supports collaborative policy design, and helps assess which policy options are feasible under real farming conditions.

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The benefits of adding green compost to fields and growing cover crops depend on soil cultivation practices and local soil texture. In particular, the amount of clay in the soil influences nutrient availability and the retention of soil organic carbon.

The need

Rising synthetic fertiliser costs and their environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient leaching, have increased interest in organic amendments as nature-based solutions for sustainable nutrient management. Green municipal compost and over-winter cover crops can supply nutrients and improve soil health, but their effectiveness depends on the cropping system and local environmental conditions.

Compost and cover crops also increase soil organic carbon, helping restore soil structure, improve water infiltration and retention, and strengthen resilience to floods, droughts and climate change. Cover crop roots further enhance soil hydraulic conductivity by creating connected macropores.

To maximise the benefits of replacing synthetic fertilisers with organic sources, farmers and advisors need locally relevant evidence on crop and soil responses. Long-term monitoring is essential because improvements in soil health, nutrient cycling and resilience develop gradually and support informed decision-making.

The greatest benefits are achieved when compost and cover crops are combined with other nature-based solutions, such as diverse crop rotations and reduced tillage. This systems approach improves nutrient-use efficiency, supports healthier soils and helps overcome challenges associated with reduced tillage, including temporary soil compaction and weed pressure.

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The goal of AgriFuture is to develop a future-proof crop rotation system that meets the needs of tomorrow’s farming practices. In this ‘farm of the future’, solutions are explored at the systems level for some of agriculture’s most pressing challenges, including: 

• Herbicide-resistant weeds
• Limited availability of chemical inputs
• Rising production costs
• Declining water quality
• Extreme weather and climate change

By addressing these issues in an integrated way, AgriFuture is working toward a farming system that is not only ecologically and economically sustainable, but also resilient and innovative. The Oldambt crop rotation system is on the brink of a necessary renewal. To become more future-proof and sustainable, it needs a "version 2.0": a cropping system that not only offers economic viability for farmers but also contributes actively to addressing broader societal challenges .Key focus areas include: 

• Reduced use of fertilizers and crop protection products
• Enhancing biodiversity
• Improving soil health
• Protecting water quality (EU Water Framework Directive)
• Climate adaptation

Several promising ideas for sustainable transition are already in motion — both at the Ebelsheerd experimental farm and among individual farmers in the region. 

Examples of promising initiatives: 

• Expanding crop rotations with legumes or mixed cropping systems
• Mechanical weed control and the use of robotics as alternatives to chemical inputs
• Collaborations between dairy and arable farms
• Use of organic by-products, such as compost or bokashi 

By sharing knowledge and exchanging experiences, we are collectively shaping a renewed crop rotation system that is both profitable and environmentally responsible.

• AGRIFUTURE: Innovating crop rotations & soil health on clay soils

The AgriFuture project at Kollumerwaard focuses on seed potato cultivation as a key element within a future-proof crop rotation system. Seed potatoes come with specific demands regarding soil quality, crop rotation, and disease management, making them a relevant case in the transition toward more sustainable arable farming. The aim is to explore how seed potato cultivation aligns with the core principles of AgriFuture, such as:

• Reducing the use of chemical crop protection products
• Preserving and improving soil health
• Utilizing circular (organic) fertilizers
• Contributing to biodiversity and climate goals

The agricultural system is being shaped by a wide range of developments that call for an integrated approach and a clear vision for the future. 

Key themes include:

• Climate change
• Limited availability of crop protection products
• Salinization of farmland
• Requirements from the Water Framework Directive
• The shift toward circular agriculture
• The protein and oil crop transition
• Use and availability of animal manure
• Growing societal expectations around biodiversity and landscape quality

These developments lead to one central question: What will the arable farming of the future look like and how do today’s decisions help us get there?

Benefits

• Future-proof seed potato cultivation: Meeting stricter requirements for crop protection ,fertilization, and environmental impact — without compromising on quality or yield.
• Soil health as a foundation: Focused attention on soil life and structure ensures a strong crop start and reduces the risk of disease.
• Less dependent on chemicals: Mechanical weed control, resilient varieties, and precision technology help significantly reduce chemical inputs.
• Ready for stricter regulations: Proactively responding to upcoming legislation on fertilizers, crop protection, and water quality.
• Boosting biodiversity: Flower strips, strip cropping, and other measures support pollinators and natural pest control

• AGRIFUTURE: Innovative crop strategies for seed potato cultivation

In today’s agricultural and industrial systems, a significant portion of biological resources is either wasted or underutilized. While green biomass like grass and clover is rich in valuable components—such as fibers, sugars, and nutrients—most of its potential remains untapped after initial processing for protein. Traditional value chains often stop at the primary product. However, sustainability and economic resilience require that we go further—transforming secondary outputs (like pulp and brown juice) into inputs for new value chains. This is known as cascade utilization. 

At the same time, industrial decarbonization pathways, such as Power-to-X (PtX) technologies, are creating new resource flows like excess heat and biogenic CO₂. These flows, if coordinated wisely, can serve as inputs for agriculture and green refining. Unlocking this interconnected potential will require: 

• New business models and partnerships across sectors
• Investment in R&D to mature low-TRL technologies
• Supportive policy and regulatory frameworks
• Regional planning to enable physical co-location and material exchange

Benefits 

Full-value recovery: Green biomass contains much more than just protein. Press cake (pulp) and brown juice left after protein extraction can be further processed into valuable products for multiple sectors.

Climate-friendly production: These processes reduce agricultural waste and carbon emissions, while enabling local production of packaging, textiles, fuels, and building materials. 

Industrial synergies: Residual heat, carbon, and process water from Power-to-X (PtX) systems can be reused in biorefineries, creating closed-loop, resource-efficient value chains. 

Economic development: Cascade utilization and PtX symbiosis support the emergence of new green industries, jobs, and regional development—positioning northwest Jutland as a hub for climate-smart innovation

• Circular systems in action: cascade utilization and industrial symbiosis

The trans4num INSPIRE Hackathon 2024 fostered innovation and collaboration in sustainable nutrient management, integrating Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) with digital tools to strengthen research-practice connections and international cooperation. The trans4num INSPIRE Hackathon 2024 accelerated innovation in sustainable nutrient management by fostering collaboration between farmers, researchers, and technology experts. It provided a platform for developing and testing practical solutions, ensuring that NBS and digital tools could be effectively applied in real agricultural settings. The event helped bridge the gap between scientific research and practice, enabling participants to co-create scalable and impactful innovations.

Despite the proven benefits of NBS, their adoption in agriculture remains slow due to limited awareness, complexity, and a lack of decision-support tools. Farmers, researchers, and policymakers need practical, data-driven solutions to integrate NBS into real-world farming systems. Key outcomes included AI-driven geo spatial analysis, agent-based modeling, and interactive NBS toolkits, all aimed at improving nutrient efficiency, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience. The hackathon also played a crucial role in strengthening international cooperation, particularly between Europe and China, by facilitating knowledge exchange and setting the stage for future joint initiatives in sustainable agriculture. Beyond generating innovative solutions, the hackathon empowered participants by expanding their skills and professional networks. It provided hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies, encouraged interdisciplinary problem-solving, and raised awareness about the importance of NBS in modern farming. By combining technology, research, and stakeholder engagement, the event contributed to shaping policy, research, and practice, ensuring that sustainable nutrient management becomes a core element of future agricultural systems.

• Cultivating innovation - trans4num INSPIRE Hackathon highlights

Cut-and-carry green manure systems are increasingly promoted as plant-based alternatives to chemical fertilizers in nutrient management strategies. This study evaluates the impacts of such systems on seed potato yield, soil health, and nutrient cycling in Northern Netherlands. Despite short-term improvements in soil structure and microbial diversity, long-term results reveal challenges in maintaining nutrient availability for crops. 

There is growing pressure to reduce chemical fertilizer use due to environmental risks and resource scarcity. Nature-based solutions (NBS), such as plant-based manures, can support more circular nutrient flows, especially where animal manure is unavailable. However, it remains unclear how complete substitution with green manure affects soil function and crop yield, especially under nutrient-deficient conditions. This long-term field trial tested a system relying entirely on cut- and carry-green manure and crop rotation. Results were compared to conventional systems using chemical or animal manure-based fertilization. We assessed soil nutrient profiles, microbial dynamics, and calculated soil health scores.

Cut-and-carry green manure systems can contribute to more circular and plant-based nutrient management, especially in areas where animal manure isn’t available. In our field trials, applying clover silage improved soil structure early in the growing season and boosted microbial diversity. The system also showed potential for carbon and nitrogen fixation, which are important for building long-term soil fertility.

However, the full replacement of chemical fertilizer with plant-based inputs brought some challenges. Nutrients were not always available when the potato crop needed them most, and competition between soil microbes and plants likely reduced nutrient uptake. As a result, yields were lower and soil health declined by the end of the season. 

• Cut-and-carry green manure: opportunities for plant-based nutrient management i…

A decline in the population of many bird species has been observed (Eurostat 2020). A good opposite example is the common kestrel in the southern part of Hungary (Baranya-county), where the farmers, nature conservation experts and the ornithologists protects the kestrel population with combined forces, for a decade now. 

One of the major challenges for crop farmers(mostly for no-till, min till farmers) is the increasingly widespread common vole (microtus arvalis). In the latest years their presence was a deterring factor in many farmers yields. Due to the climatic changes, no tillage agriculture and the regulatory environment, their numbers skyrocketed, often leading to the formation of a gradation. (D. Roos, 2019). By cause of intensive agriculture, the number of field protecting tree strips is decreasing. That’s affecting the kestrel population negatively since they don’t build their own nests, mostly occupying nests built by different crow species. 

The best solution that is also proved by many researches is to install nesting crates for the common kestrel. As mentioned before they aren’t building their own nests and they are very exposed to the environmental changes (E. Baltag, 2014). Our solution is to provide artificial nests for them to nest successfully. According to the report of the Foundation on Nature Values of Baranya, after installing the kestrel boxes, there has been a rapid growth in the population indicating that the local problem was mainly caused by a lack of nesting sites. Another nature based solution regarding this topic is a biological rodent management. The kestrel is a natural predator to the common vole. The larger the kestrel population, the better they can control the vole population, which means farmers can use less rodenticide, which is essential for sustainable farming.

• Fostering population growth of kestrel (Falco Tinnunculus) in agricultural areas

Grass refining turns green crops into high-value protein, feed, and bio-based materials. trans4num supports this climate-friendly approach to boost soil health, reduce emissions, and strengthen circular farming in Denmark and beyond. 

Denmark's agricultural sector faces pressing environmental challenges—including nutrient surpluses, biodiversity loss, and oxygen depletion in inland waters. These issues are exacerbated by high levels of greenhouse gas emissions from conventional farming practices. To address these impacts while maintaining high food production, there's a growing need for regenerative agricultural systems that are both economically viable and ecologically sustainable. 

This calls for a fundamental restructuring of how we grow food, use land, and manage nutrients. Green leafy crops such as grass, clover, Lucerne, and nettle represent a promising solution. These crops not only thrive in Danish conditions, but also: 

• Provide some of the highest protein yields per hectare
• Require no pesticide use
• Help store carbon and reduce nutrient leaching when grown continuously on the same land 

At the same time, the global demand for sustainable protein sources is increasing—making the case stronger for transitioning to nature-based, locally adaptable food and feed systems.

Benefits 

Climate and Environmental Gains: Grass absorbs nutrients effectively and reduces nitrogen leaching. Long-term cultivation stores more carbon in the soil. Grass is pesticide-free, which supports soil microbial life and protects groundwater.

Biodiversity and Water Protection: Green leafy crops (including those often seen as weeds) help preserve water quality and biodiversity in inland ecosystems like lakes and streams.

Farm Productivity: Refining boosts the utility of farmland—protein is used for feed (poultry, pigs, cattle), while pulp and brown juice open additional value streams. Farmers gain more from the same land area.

• From grass to value: refining green biomass for protein and nutrients

Replacing traditional feed crops with perennial grasses in intensively farmed regions can benefit both terrestrial and aquatic environments, increase biodiversity, and help mitigate GHG emissions. Advancing biorefinery production and supply chains could create incentives for farmers to shift their cropping rotations towards more grass-based systems. Poor ecological status of aquatic environments, low biodiversity, and loss of soil carbon are significant challenges associated with high-intensity agriculture. With agriculture covering about 62% of the landscape, the agricultural sector in Denmark is no exception. Cereals and maize account for 52% and 7% of the Danish cropping area, respectively, making the agricultural landscape dominated by monoculture feed crops with a relatively high environmental impact. As an alternative, perennial grasses, when managed properly, can improve nutrient use efficiency, enhance soil carbon storage, and reduce the negative impact of farming on biodiversity.

The substitution of grass on cereal and maize field scan yield a new source of protein through protein extraction from grass through the biorefinery. In the biorefinery grass is pressed producing a green juice and a fiber fraction. From the green juice, protein is extracted through heating or steaming and can be fed directly to monogastric animals - thereby replacing the less sustainable soya feed. The fiber fraction can be fed to ruminants (e.g. cattle) or distributed to the biogas plant. In addition, the biogas plant also receives manure etc. from the field, and the energy produced here can be transferred to run the biorefinery. The biogas remnants including potentially produced biochar finally is recycled back to the local fields as fertilizer and/or to promote carbon storage in the soil, thereby contributing to circularity of the system.

• Grass-based cropping systems: transforming the Danish agricultural landscape

There is a growing need for research into alternative fertilization methods in grain cultivation. Conventional farming typically uses a combination of synthetic fertilizer and a second application of slurry. In organic farming, fully animal-based fertilizers are more commonly used. The challenges differ between the two systems. Organic farming already relies largely on circular fertilizers, but the availability of animal manure is limited, creating a demand for alternative sources. In conventional farming, linear (non-renewable) fertilizers are still widely used, accounting for about 50% of total fertilizer input. The key challenge here is reducing dependence on these inputs. Fertilizer price shave risen sharply in recent years, and concerns about nutrient leaching into surface water are becoming increasingly urgent. A potential solution for both systems could be increased use of plant-based fertilizers, such as alfalfa or grass pellets.

The use of plant-based fertilizers offers a major opportunity to reduce chemical fertilizer use in conventional farming. Additionally, it can help lower the use of animal manure in both conventional and organic grain cultivation. By introducing this third fertilization option, farmers become less dependent on synthetic and/or animal-based fertilizers. The use of more natural products is also expected to improve soil biodiversity, which in turn supports better soil health. 

Grain farming often operates on tight margins, so rising fertilizer costs can have a significant impact on profitability. At the same time, the Netherlands faces a pressing challenge to improve water quality, an issue in which the agricultural sector plays a key role. Regulations on fertilizer use are becoming increasingly strict. The need to maintain yields while also improving water quality is urgent. Using plant-based fertilizers to help prevent nutrient leaching is a practical and forward-looking solution that fits well within the operations of many farms. 

• Green fertilizers: Lucerne and clover pellets for winter wheat

Soil profile demonstrations are vital because soil remains a "black box" for many farmers. While the benefits of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) are real, they often lie hidden below the surface. By analyzing soil profiles, we make these benefits visible—providing farmers with clear, tangible proof that sustainable practices improve soil health and fertility. This hands-on approach shows how different management techniques affect root growth, microbial activity, and soil structure. Farmers often judge soil by surface signs, which can be misleading. Digging deeper reveals the true impact of practices, helping them see the changes beneath their feet. Soil profile demonstrations turn abstract science into visible, practical knowledge. By making the invisible visible, we empower farmers to make better decisions that support long-term sustainability.

Empirical understanding is key to changing farming practices. Soil profile demonstrations offer visual proof of improvements like better structure, more organic matter, and higher water retention. Farmers see how cover crops, reduced tillage, and manure improve soil health—benefits often hidden from the surface. By revealing real results, demonstrations bridge the gap between science and practice, building trust in NBS. Farmers observe changes in porosity, root growth, and biological activity, strengthening the link between practices and soil quality. This boosts confidence in adopting and maintaining sustainable methods. Soil profiles also support peer learning, encouraging collaboration and shared knowledge. When farmers can see the long-term value of NBS, they’re more likely to make informed choices that support soil, yield, and resilience—advancing the shift to regenerative agriculture.

• Look into the soil to understand the benefits of NBS for soil

Nature-based solutions (NBS) aim to address societal and environmental challenges through the sustainable use of nature. However, their design and implementation require robust, continuous environmental data to guide planning and assess effectiveness. Traditional field-based monitoring is often too costly, time-consuming, or spatially limited to provide the required information at scale. Remote sensing bridges this gap by offering consistent, spatially explicit, and regularly updated environmental data. It supports the early identification of priority intervention areas, baseline assessments, and long-term impact monitoring. In a changing climate, where adaptive management is crucial, these capabilities are essential to the resilience and success of NBS.

Remote sensing supports NBS implementation in multiple strategic ways:

• Scalability – Satellite data enables consistent monitoring across cities, regions, or countries, helping planners prioritize based on ecosystem trends.
• Repeatability – Frequent data acquisition supports tracking seasonal dynamics, vegetation cycles, and ecological responses to NBS.
• Cost-efficiency – Open-access platforms like Copernicus (Sentinel) and Landsat lower monitoring costs and expand stakeholder access.
• Integration potential – Combining remote sensing with field surveys, IoT, or modeling improves multi-source environmental assessment.
• Transparency – Public data fosters accountability and trust through visual, data-driven reporting.
• Indicator tracking – Supports monitoring of indicators like NDVI, land surface temperature, water availability, and urban heat island effects.
• Climate resilience – Time-series analysis informs adaptive strategies by identifying long-term environmental trends.
• Risk assessment – Enables early detection of stressors like drought, flooding, or degradation, supporting timely NBS responses.

• Monitoring nature: remote sensing as a key enabler of nature-based solutions

Traditional use of synthetic insecticides poses risks to both agriculture and food systems. They can harm human health through exposure or contaminated food, and pests are developing resistance, reducing their effectiveness. In oilseed rape, the cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) has become a major threat, especially in the UK and northern Europe. Since neonicotinoids were withdrawn, farmers rely on pyrethroids, yet resistance is now widespread. Reducing synthetic insecticide use must be balanced with effective pest control and crop protection, aligning with the One Health approach. EU policy, including Directive 2009/128/EC, promotes sustainable pesticide use and encourages farmers to adopt integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that are more resilient and environmentally sound. 

Implementing regenerative practices can enhance crop resilience to pests, but it’s essential to anticipate trade-offs. Practices like reduced tillage, habitat creation, crop diversification, and organic amendments foster a farm ecosystem that works with nature. These measures can strengthen crops, promote beneficial insects, and improve pest tolerance. However, leaving residues on the soil surface may increase slug pressure.

Healthier soils build stronger plants.
Regenerative agriculture improves soil structure and fertility through compost, cover crops, and minimal disturbance. Healthy soils support robust plant growth, making crops less attractive to pests.

Rotations break pest cycles.
Many pests target specific crops. Rotating crops interrupts pest life cycles and naturally reduces their populations.

Beneficial insects reduce pest pressure.
Parasitoids and other allies thrive in no-till systems, where they overwinter in the soil and help control pests.

Lower reliance on costly inputs.
Reducing pesticide use cuts costs and protects beneficial insects.

Regenerative pest management leads to fewer outbreaks, stronger crops, and a more resilient farm system.

• Nature-Based Solutions for insect pest management

Viruses are a serious threat to seed potato cultivation, often causing deformities and yield loss in affected plants. Symptoms include leafroll and mosaic patterns on the leaves. To identify and remove infected plants, seed potato growers carry out field inspections throughout the growing season. If too many infected plants are found, the crop may be rejected by the certification authority (Dutch: NAK).

These viruses are primarily spread by aphids, which transmit the virus by piercing the plant. To prevent this, farmers spray insecticides and mineral oil onto the crops. However, an increasing number of these products have been banned in recent years, making it more difficult to protect the plants effectively. As a result, alternative methods are being explored, such as covering the potato crop with straw to reduce aphid pressure. In this study, not only straw but also fresh grass and grass-clover were used. This choice was made because straw requires nitrogen to decompose. The aim of the study is to find out whether grass and grass-clover have the same effect on aphid populations as straw.

Reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers is a key priority for seed potato growers. One specific area for improvement is the additional application of mineral nitrogen used to help break down straw. When straw is applied to reduce aphid pressure in the field, it competes with the potato plant for nitrogen, as straw decomposition consumes nitrogen from the soil. This study explores whether grass-clover and/or fresh grass could serve as effective alternatives to straw. These options are evaluated alongside the traditional method of using mineral oil. The research also investigates whether intercropping different types of green manures between the potato ridges can offer a natural solution to virus problems. The green manure begins growing earlier than the potato plant, so aphids may settle on the green manure instead, potentially reducing the risk of virus transmission to the crops. 

• Plant-based fertilizer and natural crop protection in seed potatoes

Planty Organic is a long-term farming experiment that began in 2012 at the SPNA experimental farm in Kollumerwaard. It focuses on organic crop production using only plant-based inputs. Instead of animal manure or synthetic fertilizers, the system uses legumes, cover crops, green manures, and "cut-and-carry" plant material to feed the soil. The main crops include potatoes, pumpkins, grains, and grass-clover.

Planty Organic began with a question from a group of organic arable farmers in the Northern clay region of the Netherlands: How can we make better use of nitrogen in organic farming—and improve efficiency without relying on animal manure or synthetic fertilizers? That question sparked the start of the Planty Organic experiment in 2012. The research uses a crop plan typical for the region—potatoes, pumpkins, carrots, grains, and grass-clover—supported by green manures. What makes it unique is its commitment to plant-based inputs only. For the first 10 years, no minerals or manure were added. Instead, grass-clover was harvested and returned to the field as fertilizer—a method known as “cut and carry.” After this initial period, compost and bokashi were introduced into the system. However, even today, no animal manure or synthetic fertilizers are used—staying true to the plant-based approach that inspired the project.

One of the main challenges with plant-based fertilization is the mismatch between nitrogen supply and crop demand over time. This imbalance can lead to significantly lower yields for certain crops. We currently lack detailed knowledge about the optimal timing and methods for applying plant-based fertilizers. Understanding how to synchronize nutrient release with crop needs is crucial for improving performance and reliability in fully plant-based systems.

• Planty Organic: Long-term crop rotation with plant-based nutrition

Satellite monitoring enables a cost effective solution to understanding the spatial variation throughout a large NBS site. It provides an effective way of monitoring effects after applying a NBS, and enables better and more precise understanding of the potential of applying a NBS on a regional scale. 

In the trans4num Decision Support Tool, we focus on the effects of introducing NBS across an entire region. In the Danish site this region contains more than 40.000 fields. Here a primary focus is on the spatial effect of the NBS, where the effect of decisions is highly affected by aspatial component. This requires deep understanding of the spatial variation of the arable land in the region. Satellite monitoring provides a crucial input to this understanding, and can help in measuring the actual effect of implementing a NBS across the region. In order to understand the context of a large region, it is key to know the crops on individual fields on every growth season, an application where satellite monitoring is a very efficient tool to provide insights on the most important crops.

Manual data collection, like soil sampling, at individual fields is at best sparse, and with varying degree of details across farms. Data collected withdrones, enables very precise high resolution data, however the cost of collecting data, makes it very hard to obtain for large regions, especially in atemporal context, where data has to be fetched throughout the growth seasons. Remote sensing makes the trade-off whereprecision and spatial resolution is sacrificed for high temporal resolution, and complete spatial coverage. This makes a perfect match for the regional scale at which the trans4num Decision Support Tool operates. Here the focus is not on optimization within a specific field or farm, but at a regional scale. Hence the high resolution from more precise sources like UAV monitoring is of no to little benefit.

• Regional scale satellite monitoring

Transforming agricultural practices—or entire farming systems—may seem ambitious or even utopian. However, the trans4num approach promotes a stepwise, reflective and iterative process to integrate nature-based solutions(NBS). This method benefits individual farm sites and cumulatively contributes to a broader shift from linear to circular nutrient management. 

Intensive farming systems are increasingly challenged by persistent environmental issues such as nutrient runoff, soil degradation, and declining biodiversity. Traditional nutrient management practices often fail to address these challenges adequately, resulting insignificant negative ecological impacts that extend beyond the farm. By integrating NBS such as cover crops, riparian buffer strips, and agroforestry, farmers have the opportunity to recycle nutrients effectively, improve soil fertility, and mitigate environmental damage. A key challenge is that no single solution can be universally applied; each farm has unique characteristics such as soil type, climate, and existing management practices. A range of locally adapted strategies is necessary to generate meaningful, cumulative changes that pave the way for a transformation from linear to circular nutrient management. Moreover, there is a critical need for a stepwise and reflective approach. Each intervention must be evaluated to ensure it contributes not only to local improvements but also to the transformation toward circular nutrient management. This methodical progression helps prevent missteps and ensures that the innovations adopted are both effective and sustainable over the long term. 

Adopting a stepwise approach in nutrient management offers several significant benefits for both individual farm operations and the broader agricultural community. It creates a dynamic network among farmers, advisors, and other stakeholders who share a common interest in sustainable practices.

• Small actions in light of transformation

Soil organic matter (SOM) is ~50% carbon; the rest includes nutrients like N, P, S, O, and H that support microbial life. Microbial activity enhances soil structure, water retention, aeration, and root growth, making SOM a vital nutrient reservoir. Most carbon is stored in soils, so soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a key role in climate regulation. Yet, SOC is easily lost through conventional farming, which disrupts soil structure and hinders carbon replacement. Effective land management is essential to make soils reliable carbon sinks. However, knowledge gaps remain about which practices, or combinations, best enhance SOC. Promising options include reduced tillage, perennial crops, cover cropping, managed grazing, manure or compost application, and residue retention. The impact of any NBS depends on how it's combined with others. Rothamsted's LSRE tests systems integrating compost, cover crops, reduced tillage, and perennials. 

Even small increases in SOM and SOC benefit soil health, boosting water and nutrient use efficiency, soil structure, and biodiversity (e.g. earthworms). In the global north, carbon-rich soils must be responsibly managed. Globally, soils (mainly agricultural) could sequester over a billion additional tons of carbon per year. Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), like those tested in Rothamsted's LSRE, support SOC and SOM through practices such as reduced tillage, residue retention, compost and manure application, and leys in crop rotations. These practices enhance microbial activity and nutrient cycling, contributing to long-term soil and planetary health. NBS create favorable conditions for sustaining soil function and resilience. SOM is typically measured via Loss on Ignition (burning off organic matter), while SOC is more precisely assessed using the Dumas method (dry combustion), which quantifies CO₂ released by heating soil in oxygen-rich air.

• Soil carbon stewardship and Nature-based solutions: Managing Soil organic carbon