On its way to the European Union, Ukraine is implementing the EU regulations and standards. The EU Nitrate Directive, combining environmental and agricultural objectives, is an essential step towards the country’s sustainable transformation of agriculture, aiming to prevent water pollution from agricultural sources through more efficient use of nitrogen and other nutrients.
In cooperation with the Polish Environmental Club in Gliwice, Ecoaction organised a study tour for advisers, representatives of research institutes and ministries. The aim was to learn neighbours’ experience in implementing the good agricultural practices in fertiliser and manure management and other guidelines of the Nitrate directive at Polish farms.
The study tour began with a meeting at the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation (IUNG) in Pulawy. During the meeting, the participants learned about the key stages of implementing the Nitrate Directive in Poland. The first Code of Good Agricultural Practices was adopted in 1999; however, the document is constantly improved and updated.
Until 2017, Poland used the approach where specific nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZ) were designated; those NVZ accounted for 1.5-4% of the country’s territory in different years. However, this approach was later changed, and now nitrate vulnerable zones are not identified. Instead, the Action Plan to reduce nitrate pollution is applied throughout the country. It includes determining the periods and methods for fertiliser use & manure storage, documentation of fertiliser use & manure storage, and soil management. Thus, the Action Plan provides a comprehensive framework for nutrients management in agriculture.
The difference between the two approaches for NVZ designation is that the initial approach had the same requirements for large and small farms. In contrast, the current approach’s requirements depend on the size of production: the larger the number of livestock, the larger the cultivated land, the stricter the requirements.
The Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation (IUNG) has an agricultural research station in Grabów. With a total area of 111.35 hectares, the experimental station is the Institute’s base for research and development. Here, they study various approaches to crop and livestock production, including testing the risks of water erosion on different soils and manure management. Farmers and other stakeholders can visit, check, and compare different practices at the station, exchange experiences, and see if new and better solutions are feasible.
The study tour continued with a visit to the Regional Centre for Agricultural Service in Radom (Centrum Praktycznego Szkolenia w Zakresie Małego Przetwórstwa). It is a public institution that cooperates with scientific, advisory, local governance, and farmer communities. One of the Centre’s priorities is to raise awareness about EU financial support, provide testing facilities with equipment for practical training of small farmers, including food processing, and create products with added value.
Besides getting acquainted with the Center’s daily work, our group discussed the European Green Deal and related policy changes for agriculture in the European Union. The Polish advisors highlighted farmers’ dependence on imported mineral fertilisers; therefore, using manure and compost efficiently reduces this dependency and improves soil quality.
After learning about the Nitrate Directive implementation process, and specifically the role of advisory services in this, our participants had the opportunity to see good farming practices in action on the farms of Ewa and Peter Stratenwerth, Hanna and Krystof Kowalski, and the biodynamic farm Juhowo. Studying the experience of such farms is important for disseminating good agricultural practices in Ukraine. Each farm showed the practices relevant to their region and model of production, from more conventional to environmentally advanced.
The organic farm of Ewa and Peter Stratenwerth in Grzybów combines crop and livestock production and milk and grain processing. They do their business on 28 hectares, where more than half of this area is used as meadows and pastures – the basis of the farm animals’ diet. They also grow cereals, legumes, pumpkins, fodder beets and buckwheat. The family is active in the social life of their community and provides educational activities. In particular, their foundation, the Ecological People’s University (Ekologiczny Uniwersytet Ludowy), offers courses in organic farming to people from all over Poland and other countries.
The Hanna and Krystof Kowalski farm in the village of Winniki covers 130 hectares and specialises in livestock (pigs and horses) production. It also grows oilseeds, which are further processed. The farmers implement practices to enhance water-soil-fertiliser NEXUS, which helps them adapt to climate change.
For instance, nine ponds have been preserved on the territory, which, together with perennial plants, help maintain moisture and reduce the risk of water pollution with nutrients. Beech, hornbeam, and fruit trees have been planted along the land plots to create a favourable microclimate, prevent soil erosion, and improve biodiversity.
The farm complies with regulatory requirements for manure managment: it has a concrete bed and a closed underground tank under the pig rearing house. After composting, the farmers use the manure as organic fertilizer.
The Last location of the study tour was on the Juchowo farm – the largest biodynamic farm in Europe. It covers 1,900 hectares, of which 1,600 hectares are agricultural land. The farm is engaged in crop and livestock production, processing, and several social and cultural projects in this community. Сrop production is carried out with minimal tillage method, often without ploughing and using cover crops and crop rotation. The main crops here include: corn (for grain and silage), spelt, rye, gluten-free oats, lupine, fodder beets, beetroots and carrots for juice production. Annually, the farm produces 4-5 thousand tonnes of compost made of: 40% plant material (residues of fodder, straw, silage, and grain), 25% cattle manure, and the rest is bran and a small amount of peat from ponds. The mixture is moulded into low piles, which are mixed by machine to ensure homogeneity and aeration. For liquid manure, the farm uses a tank and equipment that allows it to be stored safely and applied with minimal loss of nutrients. As a biodynamic farm, Juchowo also produces and applies biodynamic compost products.
The Juchowo community is trying to restore the natural conditions of the land they are working on. They use nature-based solutions to improve soil moisture and water retention in the landscape. About 23 ponds in this area, which, together with canals and water retention structures, help raise the groundwater level. Such water bodies are referred to locally as “water reservoirs”. In the context of climate change, the need for such “reservoirs” is constantly growing, as they help maintain soil moisture levels even during dry periods and serve as biodiversity hotspots. Some areas where these ponds were created, such as floodplains and meadows, are not used for agricultural activities, as they provide important ecosystem services. The farm and water management experts are planning to implement a new project to water peat meadows. This is a significant climate measure, as drained peatlands produce greenhouse gas emissions. That is why, by rewetting them, Juchowo plans to reduce carbon emissions from its farm.
During this study tour, our participants saw a few common features and differences in the implementation process of the Nitrate Directive in Poland and Ukraine, as well as practical approaches to water management and climate actions on the local level. The knowledge and experience of the neighbouring country benefits Ukraine’s stakeholders to develop capacity for next transition to sustainable agriculture and water management. Ecoaction maintains a close dialogue with national and local stakeholders to support the implementation of the Nitrate Directive on farms.
This study tour was conducted with financial support from the Robert Bosch Foundation.
