Organic fertilizer: Absorbing carbon on the soil

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  Quantumrun Foresight
• September 13, 2022

Insight summary

Organic fertilizers, made from natural sources like plants and animals, offer a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers, improving soil health and reducing climate change impacts. They work by enhancing soil structure, promoting beneficial microorganisms, and slowly releasing nutrients, but their production can be costlier and more time-consuming. Beyond agriculture, organic fertilizers influence various areas, from technological advancements in farming to shifts in government policies and consumer preferences towards sustainable food products.

Organic fertilizer context

Organic fertilizers (OFs) use recycled nutrients, increase soil carbon, and help mitigate climate change. Organic fertilizers are made of plant- and animal-based materials (e.g., compost, earthworms, and manure), while chemical-based fertilizers are made of inorganic materials, like ammonium, phosphates, and chlorides. 

Organic fertilizers add components to the soil to improve its structure and water retention capacity, which fosters the growth of beneficial microorganisms and earthworms. These fertilizers release nutrients slowly over time, preventing over-fertilization and runoff (when the soil can no longer absorb excess water).

There are three prominent types of OFs, including: 

• Organic fertilizers, developed from living organisms like animals and plants,
• Organo-mineral, combines one inorganic fertilizer with at least two organic ones, and
• Organic soil improvers, are fertilizers that aim to improve the organic content of the soil. 

The European Consortium of the Organic-Based Fertilizer Industry highlighted that OFs support the three pillars of the European Commission’s growth strategy, including:

1. Smart growth - promotes research-based and innovation-driven solutions throughout the agricultural value chain. 
2. Sustainable growth - contributes to a low-carbon economy. 
3. Inclusive growth - ensures that this solution is available to rural and urban areas.

Disruptive impact

One way that OFs can mitigate climate change is by absorbing carbon stocks (or carbon sequestration). The carbon in soil is stabilized through physical and biochemical processes (like mineralization), resulting in long-term carbon absorption (more than ten years). Some studies have shown that too many OFs can increase greenhouse gas emissions, particularly nitrous oxide (N2O).

This greenhouse gas type is more dangerous than carbon dioxide and can be released through soil biochemical processes (e.g., applying manure on fields). However, some research declares that, generally, there are lower greenhouse gas emissions on soil with OFs than with chemical fertilizers. N2O emission is highly dependent on soil conditions and can be challenging to trace.

Aside from potential N2O emissions, a disadvantage of OFs is that they can take longer to produce results than chemical fertilizers because of the biochemical processes that need to transpire over time. It can also be more challenging to determine how much fertilizer is needed, as different crops require different levels of nutrients. Thus, there might have to be some experiments to mix-and-match plant groups with the appropriate fertilizer. Additionally, OFs can be more expensive than chemical ones because it takes longer to generate natural fertilizers.  

Implications of organic fertilizers

Wider implications of OFs may include: 

• Incorporating drone technology and natural fertilization in agriculture enhances crop yields, contributing to higher food production and potentially reducing hunger issues.
• Governments providing incentives for organic fertilization adoption in farming practices leads to improved public health and a cleaner environment.
• Farmers facing increased pressure to minimize reliance on chemical fertilizers may cause shifts in agricultural strategies and impact chemical fertilizer manufacturers' financial resources.
• Chemical fertilizer companies expanding into organic fertilizer production, while maintaining a selection of chemical products, diversify their offerings and adapt to changing market demands.
• The emergence of new organic food products highlighting the use of organic fertilizers in their packaging enhances consumer awareness and preference for sustainably grown produce.
• Enhanced organic farming methods potentially create new job opportunities in both technology sectors, like drone operation, and traditional farming.
• A shift towards organic fertilization altering land-use patterns, possibly reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture.
• The increased cost of transitioning to organic farming methods initially burdening small-scale farmers, affecting the agricultural sector's economic dynamics.
• The growing emphasis on organic farming influencing educational curricula and research funding, emphasizing sustainable agriculture practices.

Questions to consider

• What are the other potential challenges of switching to organic fertilizers?
• If agriculturalists switch to organic fertilizers and materials, how might farmers deter pests from consuming their crops?