Biofertilizers from Food Waste, Volcanic Ash and Urban Waste

The European project LANDFEED, with the participation of ENEA, is opening new frontiers in sustainable agriculture. The initiative aims to transform urban waste, food waste, agro-industrial residues, and volcanic ash into innovative biofertilizers, helping reduce waste, protect the environment, and strengthen European food sovereignty.

In a context where Europe heavily depends on fertilizer imports, LANDFEED promotes a more self-sufficient and resilient agriculture. The biofertilizers developed could replace traditional chemical fertilizers, improving soil quality and closing the nutrient cycle.

Main innovations include:

• A European digital platform that facilitates industrial symbiosis, enabling companies to share and reuse their waste as raw materials.
• A digital fertilizer passport to ensure traceability, quality, and regulatory compliance.
• Smart coatings based on microalgae and chitosan, ensuring controlled nutrient release while reducing dispersion and greenhouse gas emissions.

LANDFEED is currently in a pilot phase in five European regions, but the goal is to create a model that can be replicated on a large scale.

The project integrates circular economy, digital innovation, and sustainable agriculture, in line with the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork strategy. If the results are confirmed, we could witness the birth of a new generation of sustainable, traceable fertilizers produced entirely in Europe.