Farmers can reduce fertiliser usage without impacting yields, while also cutting their carbon footprint by up to 25.8%, according to a new trial of controlled release fertilisers (CRFs). And the certified carbon reductions could even result in a premium price for their crop.

The pilot, over 31.12ha of potatoes at Flevoland and Zuid-Holland in the Netherlands revealed that producers could reduce their carbon footprint by 7.5% per tonne of crop by using ICL's biodegradable CRF eqo.x. Modelled to maintain yields with lower fertiliser usage, that reduction rises to 25.8%.

Run across three potato farms, producing both table potatoes and processing varieties for French fries, the primary aim of the pilot was to obtain more experience in quantifying and certifying CO2 reduction within a farm setup.

In total, the farms produced 1,832t of potatoes – averaging 58.87t/ha – and they emitted 24.76t of CO2e – two tonnes less than the baseline. Of this, 44% related to production of the fertiliser, 34% to direct emissions, 20% to leaching and 2% to volatilisation.

Further evaluation of the figures shows a 1.7% reduction in production emissions, a 12.6% drop in direct emissions, a 6.9% fall in leaching and a 35.4% lowering of volatilisation.

"We were looking at how a higher nutrient use efficiency (NUE) could be achieved without affecting yields," explains Levi Bin, account manager at the Dutch farmer co-operative Agrifirm. "If you look at the carbon footprint of growing potatoes, about 40-50% is related to fertiliser – especially nitrogen fertiliser."

CRFs are coated so that they release the nitrogen slowly, matching uptake by the plant. This reduces losses through leaching or volatilisation and thus improves NUE. So not only can farmers use less, the in-field emissions are also lower. "It's a twofold benefit." In addition, eqo.x is the first CRF to obtain EU-recognised biodegradability certification ahead of mandatory standards set to be introduced in October 2028.

"This certification a statement of where the industry is headed," says Ronald Clemens, global portfolio manager CRF at ICL. "We are giving growers a proven, compliant, and future-ready solution that combines agronomic excellence with environmental progress."

At a time when many food processors have net zero goals, this technology has tremendous potential, says Levi. "It ensures that the transition to more sustainable farming practices is co-financed by those sourcing the crops, rather than placing the burden solely on farmers."

It gives farmers a reason to switch, notes Rutger Beens, co-founder of Proba, which certified the emissions. "Insetting creates the financial structure that allows food companies to fund and claim emission reductions that happen within their own supply chain. When that works, the whole project becomes scalable."

ICL is now looking for partners to scale the initiative up, to 1000s of hectares globally, and is convinced the technology will be hugely important, says Georg Lemperg, global sustainability partnerships manager at ICL Growing Solutions. "There aren't many easy ways you can have a significant impact on the carbon footprint of various foods, from potatoes, onions and sugar beet to rice, coffee and palm oil. This is a really effective tool that achieves significant carbon reductions through improved NUE, while also making life easier for the farmer. It's truly groundbreaking."

·       For more information visit www.icl-growingsolutions.com.