Combining life-cycle assessment and linear programming to optimize social fertilizer costs

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Environmental Science
• Nutrient Cycling

Background:

• Bio-based fertilizers offer potential for regional nutrient circularity.
• Assessing the farmer and environmental benefits of bio-based fertilizers is crucial.
• Both private costs and environmental externalities must be considered.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the role of bio-based fertilizers in regional nutrient cycles.
• To analyze the economic and environmental viability of bio-based fertilizers for farmers.
• To inform farmers and policymakers on internalizing fertilizer externalities.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of a farm-level multi-objective optimization model.
• Consideration of various fertilizers, their costs, and environmental impacts.
• Application of a cost-minimization approach to a Flemish leek farmer model.

Main Results:

• Mineral fertilizers play a significant role in the optimal fertilizer mix, despite environmental externalities.
• Bio-based fertilizers also have a viable role in integrated fertilizer strategies.
• The model accounts for nutrient uptake, nutrient standards, and on-farm residue availability.

Conclusions:

• A balanced fertilizer strategy incorporating both mineral and bio-based fertilizers is optimal.
• Internalizing environmental externalities is key for sustainable fertilizer management.
• Findings support informed decision-making for farmers and policymakers in nutrient management.