South Tyrol, an autonomous province in Northern Italy known for an active industry in apple growing, livestock and other facets of agriculture, has launched a new online tool to connect livestock producers with fruit and wine producers in search of natural nutrient sources.
The sector relies heavily on organic fertilizers derived from livestock. The initiative, Wirtschaftsdüngerbörse (which translates literally to “economic exchange of fertilizer”; South Tyrol’s predominant language is German, not Italian) is part of a project by the province’s farmer’s association, Südtiroler Bauernbund and local farm associations, as well as research institutions. Its aim is to centralize this information, while further promoting sustainable farming practices and promoting transparency in the exchange of livestock nutrients.
The concept is similar to platforms built in the nearby nations of Austria and Switzerland, in which local farmers in South Tyrol had expressed an interest. Through the South Tyrol tool, Südtiroler Bauernbund members can access the tool online for offers or requests of various manure types, and view types and quantities of available manure. The platform also automatically generates protocols to document exchanges.
The ongoing project’s research has also revealed that the province has less surplus livestock manure than previously thought, which suggests positive nutrient management on the part of livestock producers.
