The LANDFEED project reaches its second year with significant progress across its five European use cases. These are demonstrating the real-world potential of bio-based fertilisers and bio-stimulants produced from agroindustry, HORECA, forestry, and urban waste streams.
As the LANDFEED project marks its second year, the consortium reports substantial advances across its five use cases. LANDFEED is developing innovative solutions to produce bio-based fertilisers and bio-stimulants from diverse organic waste streams. The project is contributing to a more circular and sustainable approach to nutrient management in European agriculture.
Spain: From Catering Waste to Crop Nutrition
In Spain, the team is led by AZTI, together with AUSOLAN, KOLLVIK FR, and FERTINAGRO. They have demonstrated that an optimised solid-state fermentation process can convert waste from hotels, restaurants, and catering (HORECA) into high-quality fertiliser ingredients. Pilot trials revealed enhanced protein and amino acid content, improved mineral availability, and a significant reduction in the Carbon/Nitrogen ratio, all of which increase the agronomic value of the resulting product. Semi-industrial systems are currently under development. Additional pilot and field trials will validate the scalability and performance of the process.
France: Converting Animal Waste into a Zero-Waste Fertiliser Process
The French use case focuses on converting a mix of undervalued animal waste, from fish farming, the shellfish industry, sheep breeding, and slaughterhouses, into bio-based fertilising products with balanced agronomic compositions. An optimised sequence of twin-screw extrusion and enzymatic hydrolysis transforms these mixed streams into three distinct outputs: a high-value fish oil, a liquid biostimulant, and a solid organic fertiliser, achieving a zero-waste process. During the first 24 months, the team selected, collected, and characterised the input materials. They successfully developed and optimised the process from laboratory scale to near-commercial scale. A field trial on wheat is currently ongoing to assess the agronomic efficiency of the resulting bio-based fertiliser. The quality of the fish oil has already been recognised. The approach contributes to strengthening the European fertiliser value chain whilst complying with the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (EU) 2019/1009.
Greece: Unlocking the Potential of Olive Oil Residues
In Greece, the use case focuses on the circular valorisation of olive oil mill residues through an integrated biorefinery approach. Over the first 24 months, the team completed extensive feedstock characterisation and process optimisation activities. NTUA has fully commissioned the pilot-scale infrastructure at its Lavrion Technological and Cultural Park. It integrates drying, biomass combustion, oil extraction, CO₂ capture, and algae cultivation units. Results demonstrated the potential to recover energy, bio-oil, nutrients, and carbon from two-phase olive pomace, producing nutrient-rich ash and algal biomass suitable for fertiliser applications. The team plans greenhouse and field trials for the next phase of the project.
Italy: Industrial Symbiosis at the Heart of Fertiliser Innovation
The Italian use case applies an output-based design approach to multi-waste bio-based fertilisers. It combines diverse organic and inorganic streams, including wastewater sludge, agro-industrial residues, and volcanic ash through a territorial Industrial Symbiosis model. During the first 24 months, the team sourced and characterised all input matrices. It then assessed regulatory, logistical, and stakeholder aspects, and finally tested pretreatment routes, primarily composting at an industrial facility. Bio-augmented formulations are now being developed using selected microbial consortia to enhance agronomic performance. Pot trials and field trials are ongoing to identify the most effective and sustainable final formulations.
Poland: From Dairy Waste to Bio-stimulants and Granular Fertilisers
In Poland, the team is valorising dairy waste into a bio-based solid organo-mineral fertiliser and a liquid biostimulant. Following detailed characterisation of the raw material, chemical hydrolysis processes were optimised to minimise nitrogen losses and increase the bioavailability of nutrients. The resulting products showed promising compliance with the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (EU) 2019/1009. Initial germination tests ruled out phytotoxic effects. Pot tests and field trials, conducted in collaboration with the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation (State Research Institute), are currently under way. Further scaling-up activities are also in progress to prepare the technology for potential future implementation.
Looking Ahead
Together, the results from LANDFEED’s use cases demonstrate that organic waste streams hold significant potential as sources of plant nutrition. As the project moves into its next phase, the consortium will focus on validating formulations through field trials and preparing results for regulatory assessment and market uptake.
The press release was published on 10 August 2026 on EurekAlert!.