The challenge is to produce a stable quality compost, that can be incorporated back into the production chain through its application in the field as an organic amendment to obtain an economic and environmental benefit, based on a sustainable production model.

The “Valorares” operational group has launched the development of innovative composting techniques that allow recycling and recovery. They do it for  improve efficiency in the management of by-products from agri-food industries and livestock farms through

It is formed by Complus Regeneración Ambiental, Agro-food Cooperatives of Extremadura, Sociedad Cooperativa Virgen de la Estrella and D3 Ingeniería y Obras will work until May 2020 on this project financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Regional Administration.

The compost

It will be obtained from the aerobic biological transformation of the organic matter that the by-products contain and, as reported by the organization, there is numerous evidence that demonstrates its benefits in the recovery and regeneration of agricultural soils. With this, the project aims to solve the problem of scarcity of organic matter in Extremadura soils and of management of organic by-products.

The organization has explained that this compost will be analyzed, both in its composition and once it has been applied to the soil, to later use it in the field according to its quality and to make a compost tea with important insecticidal and fungicidal properties.

The use of compost in agriculture allows reducing the synthetic mineral fertilizer, by amending with an organic product, which comes from the transformation of the own by-products generated from its activity to which others of animal origin and the vegetable processing sector are added , has assured Cooperatives Agro-alimentary.

Optimize waste

In this way, new composting systems will be implemented that optimize waste management. A range of "quality compost" will be obtained from these organic waste from agri-food industries and livestock farms for application in crops such as olive groves or vineyards, which returns its nutrients to the earth.

For all these reasons, this project intends to focus on R & D & I to reduce the per capita generation of by-products and transform them into new resources through circular economy and sustainable social development, while also disseminating and demonstrating the benefits of compost. between cooperative members, producers in general and citizenship.