This is the challenge at the heart of FertiCovery, an EU-funded research and innovation project bringing together researchers, industry, farmers and policymakers to identify practical nutrient recovery solutions that are ready to be deployed across Europe. Coordinated by Netherlands-based BTG Biomass Technology Group, the project connects 8 partners* from 7 countries across Europe, including Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, and The Netherlands.
Rethinking manure
The idea behind FertiCovery is straightforward: Europe already has many of the nutrients it needs. The project coordinator explains:
In Europe we have a lot of resources, such as biowaste, manure and wastewater that contain nutrients, which could be recovered and converted into bio-based fertilisers.
For livestock farming, this opportunity is particularly significant. Manure is the largest source of raw material for producing bio-based fertilisers, but making better use of it requires technologies, logistics and policies that help nutrients reach the places where they are most needed.
The result is an opportunity not only to improve nutrient management, but also to reduce Europe's dependence on imported fertilisers while strengthening the resilience of its farming systems.
Closing the nutrient loop
Instead of viewing manure as a by-product to be managed, FertiCovery sees it as a key resource for the circular bioeconomy.
Livestock manure should no longer be seen as a waste stream, but as a valuable resource that helps close nutrient and carbon cycles in agriculture.
Using technologies such as anaerobic digestion and other nutrient recovery practices, manure can be transformed into renewable energy and bio-based fertilisers that return nutrients and organic matter to agricultural soils. This can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, replace part of the mineral fertilisers currently used in farming and contribute to healthier, more resilient soils.
The project's vision goes beyond improving waste management. It is about making better use of Europe's own biological resources while supporting climate action, circularity and long-term food security.
Identifying solutions that already exist
Today, FertiCovery is helping identify the most promising nutrient recovery solutions already available in Europe.
The project has screened more than 150 technologies, selecting 25 nutrient recovery value chains for detailed technical, environmental and market assessment.
The aim is to understand not only how these technologies perform, but also what barriers still prevent their wider adoption.
This approach also reduces risk and speeds up uptake. Farmers and decision-makers can rely on proven technologies with known performance, costs, environmental benefits and policy support, which increases confidence in investment decisions. It also makes it easier to scale up solutions quickly, since the knowledge is already in place.
To make this knowledge widely accessible, the project launched in May 2026 an online catalogue bringing together the assessments of the 25 selected technologies, helping farmers, industry and policymakers identify practical solutions that can already be implemented.
Turning innovation into practice
Developing effective technologies is only part of the challenge. Their success also depends on regulation, affordability and trust.
According to the project, nutrient recovery solutions need to deliver fertilisers that are practical to use, economically viable and supported by appropriate legal frameworks. They also need to earn farmers' confidence through consistent performance over time. This is why FertiCovery combines technical research with market analysis, environmental assessment and stakeholder engagement, working closely with technology providers, farmers and policymakers to understand what is needed to accelerate uptake across Europe.
FertiCovery is built on the understanding that effective progress in nutrient recovery depends on strong and continuous collaboration across the entire value chain.
Supporting a more resilient livestock sector
Reducing Europe’s dependence on imported fertilisers has become a central issue in recent years as geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions and rising prices have affected global markets.
For FertiCovery, nutrient recovery offers an opportunity not only to improve individual farming systems, but also to strengthen Europe's strategic autonomy.
The key opportunity lies in building a more resilient and import-independent market for bio-based fertilisers, which can strengthen Europe's strategic autonomy in nutrients.
This ambition closely reflects the objectives of the EU Livestock Strategy, which promotes greater resilience, circularity and resource efficiency across the livestock sector while creating new opportunities for farmers and rural communities.