N-Spire

EU crop farmers are struggling due to new rules that require them to use fewer chemicals on their crops. These rules are meant to protect the environment and make farming more sustainable. However, they are causing problems such as lower crop yields and quality. In this context, the EIC-funded N-Spire project aims to revolutionise agriculture by shifting from conventional to sustainable practices. Specifically, it will involve the conversion of biomass residues into a substrate for solid state fermentation, to produce bioactive fertilisers that promote soil health and productivity. This tackles challenges faced by existing biofertilisers, promising cost-effectiveness and compatibility with farming methods, for a greener and more resilient agricultural future. N-Spire has the potential to reduce chemical dependency, enhance soil vitality, and valorise agricultural residues.

Crop farmers in the EU are facing significant pains due to increasing regulations, such as the EU Farm-to-Fork strategy (F2F), which targets ambitious reductions in the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. These regulations will reduce dependence on foreign resources and reduce environmental damage from excess fertiliser use. Disruptive innovation will be necessary, to protect the security of European food supply, from reductions in crop yield and quality. Biofertilizers derived from living organisms represent a more sustainable alternative for crop yield improvement and have the potential to phase out chemicals. Several commercial products exist; however, their adoption in row crop farming is limited. The majority of products are not cost-effective, they exhibit low shelf-life, perform inconsistently under field conditions and the formulations are not compatible with farming practices.

To solve this, N-Fix has developed N-Spire, an innovative project taking an integrated approach to revolutionise the agricultural industry by transitioning from conventional farming practices to a new and scalable agronomic system. The primary objective is to improve soil health and contribute to a more sustainable and regenerative agricultural sector. N-Spire involves the integration of Hydrothermal Carbonisation, Solid-State Fermentation, and formulation techniques into a unified manufacturing technology platform. This combination yields a natural bioactive fertiliser that harnesses the synergistic advantages of hydrochar as an organic fertiliser and the capabilities of beneficial organisms.

N-Spire will have significant impacts, contributing to: i) reducing the reliance on chemical fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture, ii) improving soil health while enabling sustainable productivity, iii) valorising agricultural residues as feedstock, iv) enabling carbon sequestration by converting biomass residues into stable organic compounds.