Projects
Air scrubber technology for remediation of ammonia emissions from intensive livestock farming KU Leuven
The main objective of this project is to develop a business model for marketing the new plasma air scrubber concept with which ammonia emissions can be drastically reduced with the advantage of (1) reduced water consumption, (2) production of valorizable drain water in the form of fertilizer without use from externally supplied chemicals and (3) maximum direct use of green energy from solar energy.
C-Farms: Climate-neutral agriculture through sustainable C farming KU Leuven
The research objective of this PhD is set within a bigger project called C-Farms. The goal of C-Farms is to examine the ecological, economic and social ramifications of agricultural negative emission technologies (agro-NETs). More specifically the project will look into enhanced weathering, soil carbon sequestration and biochar and how these NETs can be implemented in an agricultural setting. The specific task of the PhD is to assess economic ...
Smart Farming methodology for efficient and sustainable cultivation of dragon fruit in Ecuador's Amazon: Pilot evaluation of the impact of technology on poverty and inequality reduction KU Leuven
This initiative proposes the implementation of precision agriculture for the intelligent, efficient, and sustainable production of dragon fruit in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Palora canton as case study. The project is motivated by the great appeal of this fruit in international markets due to its numerous health and nutritional properties. The growing interest in dragon fruit is part of the national plan to promote the export of non-traditional ...
Quantifying resilience of traditional smallholder farming systems and natural resources in the context of conflict and war: A case study of Northern Ethiopia Ghent University
This project focuses on the rural livelihoods in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, which heavily relies on small-scale subsistence farming. However, sustainable resource management is hindered by limited resources, capacity, climate disruptions, and change. This leads to low agricultural productivity and high food insecurity. Despite progress over three decades, these gains were disrupted by a two-year war (2020-2022). The project's ...
Democratizing digital farming through smart solutions for small farms KU Leuven
The last decade has seen an explosion of interest and investment in the use of Agricultural Digital Technologies (ADSs). The use of ADSs is seen by many as an opportunity to increase the economic and environmental performance of the agricultural sector. In spite of considerable public and private investment, uptake and use of ADSs by EU farmers has been limited, especially among small and medium farms. These farms require cost-effective DATs ...
Establishing new legume-based farming systems in Northeast Thailand using drought-tolerance traits of wild legume and rhizobia populations Ghent University
Nitrogen (N) is required for plant growth in large quantities, yet it is typically deficient in tropical soils. Unlike other elements that must be replenished by mineral fertilisers, plant-usable N can be supplied by legumes that perform Biological N2-fixation (BNF) in association with rhizobia bacteria. This is particularly important in Northeast Thailand where most smallholding farmers cannot afford sufficient fertiliser inputs. There, the ...
Ammonia air scrubber with plasma reactor for ammonium nitrate production from ventilation air of intensive livestock farming KU Leuven
ClimateSmartAdvisors: Connecting and mobilizing the EU agricultural advisory community to support the transition to Climate Smart Farming Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
With the ClimateSmartAdvisors project, the EU aims to strengthen the large group of agricultural advisors - intermediaries between the farmer and science or policy - so that they are more empowered in their role and can accelerate adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices. There is an urgent need for more climate-smart agri-food system and EU agricultural production. Scientific research ...
Reduction of ammonia emissions in organic livestock farming Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
What measures can organic poultry, pig and goat farms take to reduce their ammonia emissions while remaining compliant with organic legislation? The Rambio project, led by ILVO, is looking into this. The proposed measures must fit into a system approach and are preferably source-oriented, i.e. focused on, for example, animal management, bedding materials, and layout of the free-range yard. In ...