GREENHOOD joins field visit on circular fertilisers in Belgium
On 8 May 2025, GREENHOOD took part in the field visit on circular fertilisers (Proefveldbezoek Circulaire Meststoffen) in Rumbeke-Beitem, Belgium, engaging with local stakeholders and presenting our initiatives in the Flanders region.
About the event
This informative session was organised by Inagro vzw in collaboration with the RE-Source Lab of the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering Ghent University and VCM Vlaams Coördinatiecentrum Mestverwerking vzw.
The event focused on circular fertilisers — nutrient solutions recovered from sustainable sources such as animal manure and wastewater.
Participants heard from seven EU-funded projects, including GREENHOOD, and took part in field demonstrations showing the real-world application of these solutions.
Highlights from the programme included:
- Field trials testing circular fertilisers
- Ammonium-loaded zeolites as slow-release nitrogen fertilisers
- Challenges and opportunities in applying RENURE within manure regulations
- Benefits of circular fertilisers and constructed wetlands for reducing nitrates
- On-site demonstrations of soil improvers made from insect manure and struvite
GREENHOOD's participation
Professor Erik Meers at Ghent University, GREENHOOD partner and coordinator of the Rhine, Meuse & Scheldt Basin demo-region (in partnership with Deltares, the Netherlands), presented our ongoing work in one of Europe's most critically impacted agricultural zones.
This demo region, designated a 100% Nitrate Vulnerable Zone, has suffered from the overuse of fertilisers and intensive livestock farming, leading to high nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in local water bodies.
In response, GREENHOOD is deploying a range of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to rebalance nutrient loads in soil and water, improve water quality, and support the transition to circular, sustainable farming systems. Learn more about our work in the Rhine, Meuse & Scheldt Basin demo-region by visiting our dedicated page.
Field visits like this turn knowledge into action. For GREENHOOD, it’s a chance to connect directly with farmers, researchers, and policymakers, sharing solutions that make circular fertilisation a real, workable practice.