SuMaNu - EU Interreg BSR

SuMaNu (Sustainable Manure and Nutrient Management for reduction of nutrient loss in the Baltic Sea Region) is a platform project which aims to analyse and synthesize approaches to sustainable manure and nutrient management promoted by four international projects. These are Interreg Baltic Sea Region projects Baltic Slurry Acidification and Manure Standards, Interreg Central Baltic project GreenAgri and BONUS Programme project BONUS PROMISE.

Towards regional and more holistic view

The SuMaNu synthesis of the solutions developed in the four projects will be used for formulating recommendations for environmentally and economically sustainable manure management in order to better link project results and policies. SuMaNu will target this information nationally and internationally especially to policy-makers. Communication will also be directed to other stakeholders, in particular, to farmers via farmers’ unions and advisory services.

Representation across the Baltic Sea

SuMaNu partners come from different Baltic Sea countries, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Germany, Poland, Denmark and Sweden and includes the  intergovernmental organisation HELCOM – Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission.

Project results

Technologies and management practices for sustainable manure use in the Baltic Sea Region by Erik Sindhöj, Marek Krysztoforski, Katrin Kuka, Sari Luostarinen, Zanda Melnalksne, Kristina Mjöfors, Kaisa Riiko, Kalvi Tamm, Kari Ylivainio, Minna Sarvi

The objective of this report was to compile recommendations from seven previous Interreg and Bonus projects dealing with improving manure use in the Baltic Sea Region. The recommendations were sorted according to where along the manure handling chain they should be implemented and synthesized in terms of the various aspects of sustainability they aimed at improving.

Manure processing as a pathway to enhanced nutrient recycling by Sari Luostarinen, Elina Tampio, Johanna Laakso, Minna Sarvi, Kari Ylivainio, Kaisa Riiko, Katrin Kuka, Elke Bloem and Erik Sindhöj

The need to introduce new nutrients into the current demand from mineral resources could be reduced significantly via nutrient recycling. The most significant recyclable material is animal manure which is traditionally used as a fertilizer. However, due to segregation of crop and animal production, manure is often regionally concentrated so that its nutrients may be available in excess to the region’s need. To enable regional nutrient reallocation, manure processing to various end-products could be used. In this report the advantages and challenges of manure processing are discussed and several processing technologies introduced.

Typical pitfalls leading to gaps between envisaged and realised impacts of manure and nutrient related projects - a gap analysis by Henning Lyngsø Foged, A. Szymanski, E. Sindhöj, K. Kuka, M. Krystoforski, M. Sarvi, S. Kaasinen, Z. Melnalksne

A gap analysis of past projects identified discrepancies between expected and actual impacts of seven projects promoting sustainable manure management. This analysis highlighted shortcomings, such as the failure to effectively communicate results to end users, and provided ten recommendations to improve future projects. The study used deductive research to identify six common pitfalls and interviewed key stakeholders from Germany, Poland, Denmark, and the BSR region to ensure impartiality. Key conclusions include the importance of SMART objectives, aligned activities, and direct involvement of administration and end users for successful policy integration.

Six SuMaNu Draft Policy Recommendations

Please contact me if you want to share any thoughts or comments about the draft policy recommendations. Links below to the individual recommendations will work as long as the project website is running. After that please use the following DiVA link to access them.

Fertilization planning and nutrient balancing

Phosphorus fertilization planning measures 

Support and regulation for best applicable handling technologies for storage and spreading of manure

Regional nutrient reallocation

Safe manure nutrient recycling

Knowledge transfer between farmers, authorities and policymakers