ramiran2015 topics 1-8

16th International RAMIRAN Conference 2015 in Hamburg

T1: Quality fertilizers from residues Agricultural production depends on the supply of plants with nutrients. Efficiency in agricultural production considers not only yields, but also product qualities and fertilizer footprints. Fertilizers provide nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulphur (S) as macronutrients in varying proportions and forms. Furthermore micronutrients are needed in trace amounts, which are valuable not only for plant production, but also in follow up chains such as food consumption or anaerobic digestion. Trace nutrients in many foods have declined over the last half century and rock phosphate as the main source of P fertilizers will deplete in 50-100 years. In some locations, over-fertilization leads to water contamination, while in others high fertilizer prices leads to nutrient deficiencies in soils. The main source for N fertilizers is ammonia generated via the energy intensive Haber-Bosch process from atmospheric N. It is estimated that this process alone demands around 1.4% of the world’s total energy consumption. Agricultural, municipal and industrial residues contain varying quantities of N, P and other nutrients and trace elements. They are often disposed of with environmentally damaging effects or through costly treatment processes e.g. by waste water treatment or incineration. We can conclude that nutrient cycles related to agriculture are a topic with urgent scope for improvements: We invite contributions regarding fertilizer production and application which consider the nutrients in residues towards the aim of supplying the right fertilizer product at the right rate and the right time, to the right place. Quality, safety, security, environment, markets and distribution are aspects to consider. Examples of topic areas might include, but are not limited to, the following: • Innovative techniques for mineral and organic fertilizers from common and new agricultural,

industrial and municipal residues with consideration of logistical aspects and avoidance of pollution.

• Innovative approaches and application techniques to maximize the use of residual nutrients from organic fertilizers with consideration of logistical aspects and precision of distribution.

• Issues related to the closing of nutrient cycles with consideration of linking rural and urban systems.

• Approaches to collect and provide data in a statistical approved way and to present results on local and global maps for aspects related to residue-based fertilizers and fertilization.

• Development and use of evaluation systems for sustainable fertilization in comparison with traditional methods, also considering the different demands from agricultural products and land e.g. food, material, energy cropping and use of by-products and waste-streams as fertilizers.

• Translating scientific results from the fertilizer sector into political and practical procedures and bringing new fertilizer types economically to the field.

© Maria Lanznaster / Pixelio © Albrecht E. Arnold / Pixelio


T2: Sustainable soils Soil is a living body. It is a complex medium comprising mineral particles, organic matter, water, air and living organisms. Soil is an essential, very slowly-renewable resource, which provides many vital ecosystem services such as food and the production of other bioresources as well as filtration and retention of toxic substances and nutrients. Demands on soil are increasing as the world population and the per capita food demand continue to grow. In addition, the pressure to reduce consumption of fossil resources has led to a growing demand to provide bioresources as alternative sources for energy and raw materials. Soil overuse is increasingly leading to soil degradation, both in the EU and at a global level up to desertification. In line with sprawling urbanization, arable land is decreasing in quantity as well as in quality. Lacking direct legislation, soil degradation is now having trans-boundary impacts along with high economic costs. One means of improving soil quality is the use of organic residues generated by human activities as soil amendments for enhancing soil carbon levels and soil structure. However this practice is not without risks, namely the introduction of harmful substances such as antibiotics and other pollutants or unwanted nutrient losses. We call for contributions which support the debate towards stopping further soil degradation and effective recovery options for degraded soils by means of utilizing agricultural, industrial and municipal residues. Under this topic, submissions might include, but are not limited to the following subjects: • Evaluation of the efficiency of additives such as composts, biochar, green manure and peat

substitutes on maintaining and improving soil quality. • Mass balances, greenhouse gas balances and energy balances of remediation of soils by organic

amendments based on organic residues. • Suitable data provision, soil mapping, aerial view evaluations e.g. to describe conditions, changes

and the success of protective measures for agricultural soils. • Methods for avoiding the introduction of harmful substances from residues into soils, and from

there into food and other chains. • Demands on sustainable agricultural soils under special consideration of cultivated product types;

e.g. products differentiated into food, material or energy crop systems. • Translating scientific results from the soil sector into political and practical procedures for

connecting soils with agricultural, industrial and municipal residues recycling.

© Florian Gerlach / Pixelio © Ulrich Velten / Pixelio


T3: Advances in emission prevention Farming is a source of emission of pollutants to the atmosphere and to water. A well-known problem is nutrient leaching and surface run-off, which may cause eutrophication of surface and groundwater bodies and is detrimental to drinking water quality and human health. The most-studied climate relevant gases are methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. Their atmospheric concentrations have increased in the last centuries due to human activities, including agriculture. Another important rural emission pathway is ammonia volatilization, arising largely from livestock manures and urea-based fertilizers. Together with other reactive nitrogen compounds, e.g. NOX from processes in transport and industry, it leads to N deposition that damages susceptible ecosystems and leads to soil acidification Particulate matter originates from a range of agricultural sources, in particular the formation of secondary particulates from ammonia emissions, and may lead to a variety of health problems and associated social costs. In the future emissions may also be caused by new anthropogenic substances/compounds such as nanoparticles from nanomaterials. Urban emissions are numerous and may lead to the introduction of polluting substances (antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals etc.) into agricultural chains with a feedback on urban systems. We call for innovative strategies including rural-urban linkages to manage and minimize emissions, reducing environmental pollution and enhancing the utilization of nutrients instead of their emission. Examples of topic areas might include, but are not limited to the following: • Measurements and mapping of emissions from the rural organic residues and fertilizer sectors,

including local and global distribution issues and short-, mid- and long-term projections of trends. • Contributions to process oriented research in order to develop new technologies for emission

reduction in agriculture. • Contributions to improve emission prevention through a better knowledge of agricultural emission

patterns and emission factors, and the development and application of predictive models for emissions from agricultural residues and urban residue-based products.

• Innovative approaches in emission prevention by utilization of residue-based products from urban areas in rural systems, by improved residue handling and new recycling techniques.

• Issues related to technical methods for emission prevention in agriculture and for utilization of emitted compounds to generate new products.

• Following the pathways of new types of urban emissions and their impacts on soil, food and other agricultural products.

• Holistic ecological, economical and societal considerations of rural-urban systems, including the identification of and solutions for weaknesses and systemic changes though new approaches in the field of emission and immission.

• Cross-discipline and technology linkages to prevent and manage rural emissions, to support the utilization of nutrients and to improve environmental protection and management practices.

© Ingrid Kranz/ Pixelio © Philipp Pohlmann / Pixelio


T4: The bioresource challenge The sustainable use and the protection of natural resources are essential for enduring food production and quality of life. In this context, bioresources will play a key role. Bioresources are non-fossil biogenic resources which can be used for multiple purposes: to produce food, substantial products such as paper, biobased plastics, biochemicals and composite materials or energy carriers such as bioethanol, biogas and heat. Bioresources are renewable, but they are not available in unlimited quantities and have limits to their utilization. One limiting factor is the available agricultural and forest area and competition for its use. Bioresources will presumably be the only means in the future of delivering food, feed and substantial products. They may also have a role in energy provision, although other renewable sources will also be important here. To meet future demands, efficient bioresource utilization procedures are needed. This includes the consideration of whole chains from primary production, through processing and up to residues utilization. Moreover, not only single chains such as the food chain have to be considered. To reach high efficiency we need to study multibranch and cascade utilizations options. In this context, agricultural, municipal and industrial residues, wastes and wastewaters are of high importance. The careful and sustainable use of bioresources must be accounted through holistic approaches to close loops. A special focus is made on compounds with reuse-value for agriculture such as nutrients, water and soil improvers. Examples of topic areas might include, but are not limited to, the following: • Innovative approaches regarding efficient bioresource utilization including planning, management

and logistical consideration for reuse of agricultural, municipal and industrial residues in agriculture.

• Issues related to the overall bioresource chain including data inventory and provision, monitoring, evaluating, modelling to ensure bioresource availability, quality balanced utilization, environmental protection, societal integration.

• Holistic ecological, economical and societal considerations of bioresource systems to produce food, materials and energy including the understanding of and developing solutions for current areas of weakness.

• Linking of disciplines and technologies to increase bioresource sustainability, to support environmental protection and to improve management practices.

© Astrid Gotze / Pixelio © I-Vista / Pixelio


T5: Agro-products for the biobased economy Biobased economy encapsulates the vision of a future society no longer wholly dependent on fossil resources. The transition into a biobased economy will implicate a paradigm shift also in agriculture. The basics are bioresources originating from plants, animals, microorganisms or residues. In biorefineries they are converted into a multitude of products such as chemicals, materials, feed, fuels, and other energy carriers. Biorefineries are complex and integrated systems consisting of many process units. They take advantage of the various components contained in bioresources such as cellulose, hemicelluloses, starch, lignin, proteins, fats, oils, extractives and their intermediates. To date, the biorefinery industry is still in a nascent state, mostly using ligno-cellulosic feedstocks on larger scale. However, many concepts and approaches exist. Frequently discussed biorefinery systems with a connection to agriculture include sugar, starch, vegetable oil, lignocellulose, green, synthesis gas and biogas biorefinery. We call for contributions addressing opportunities and inter-connected challenges for agriculture in terms of residue generation and application. On the one hand, agriculture may provide biorefinery feedstocks from primary production and from by-products or wastes generated along the chain. On the other hand, many new types of biogenic residues will be generated in biorefineries which may be recycled to agriculture in one form or another.

Examples of topic areas might include, but are not limited to the following: • Issues related to the design of new agricultural systems considering new plant types and

their demands regarding fertilization, soil and harvesting, decentralized pre-processing options to produce transportable biorefinery feedstocks and the creation of new reuse-oriented infrastructures.

• Approaches promoting diversification for a multi-use agriculture in combination with traditional agriculture including the development of new types of agricultural products and of possibilities to support local integrated systems.

• Holistic ecological, economic, societal and educational considerations connected with new types of agricultural products and residues including the detection of new economic opportunities for rural systems.

• Concepts characterised by almost complete and efficient utilization of agricultural feedstocks considering the production of different types of agro-products in biorefineries – e.g. with low-volume but high-value such as chemical or nutraceutical products and low-value but high-volume agro-products such as biodiesel or bioethanol.

• Approaches and examples for large-scale commercial biorefinery systems involving agricultural feedstocks and/or applying biorefinery residues in agriculture.

© Jutta Rotter / Pixelio © Wolfgang Dirscherl / Pixelio


T6: Smart concepts for rural development In ancient times, humans lived in perfect harmony with nature as hunters and gatherers. After becoming sedentary and starting to domesticate plants and animals, man initiated the process of urbanization. In 2008, more people lived in urban than in rural areas for the first time in the History of Mankind - and the trend continues. Drawbacks of early urbanization such as accumulation of residues, disease spread, wars and resources disputes are still a reality today. In this context, residues are increasingly not only a topic of disposal but of utilization. This provides an opportunity to bring rural and urban systems closer together again. Rural development generally focuses on improving the quality of life and economic well-being of people living in relatively isolated and sparsely populated areas. We call for contributions which support rural development under special consideration of symbiosis with urban systems in the area of residue management. Examples of topic areas might include, but are not limited to the following: • Design of symbiotic systems and systemic changes considering rural-urban interfaces

between agriculture and other areas (e.g. rainwater harvesting, energy generation, permaculture and education).

• Innovative approaches considering a decentralized reuse-oriented infrastructure to improving the environment for a balanced climate and a balanced resource security together with maintaining food security and a competitive agricultural sector.

• Approaches promoting economic diversification and business models combining traditional agriculture with new challenges e.g. restoration of degraded soils, production of sustainable fertilizers, processing residues for economic transport, utilizing urban residues, developing novel agricultural products, implementing multi-use agriculture.

• Policies and other drivers to support rural-urban symbiosis and locally integrated strategies, incuding approaches for mobilizing local stakeholders.

• Holistic ecological, economic and societal considerations for rural-urban residue management systems including the identification and development of solutions overcoming of weaknesses and the establishment of cross-discipline linkages.

Ralf Otterpohl in YouTube: Thoughts to the development of “New Towns” and their essential need for our survival in the future are presented on http://youtu.be/_M0J2u9BrbU

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© Millhouse / Pixelio © Thomas Max Muller / Pixelio


T7: Towards zero waste settlements Zero waste is a philosophy to redesign resource life cycles by using all products after consumption again in one form or another and embedded in this are sustainable production and consumption patterns. In this context, sending waste for disposal to landfills or incinerators should be avoided. Zero Waste is a visionary goal connected with changing people’s lifestyle and behaviour and traditional waste management practices. A large share of urban and rural waste is of biogenic origin. A multitude of different types are generated at different locations, in different quantities qualities. Individually their amounts may be rather small, but accumulated they could contribute significantly as a resource for materials and/or energy delivery. Commonly they are disposed of or used inefficiently. A holistic and integrative approach for their improved utilization is the “Civilization biorefinery” - a system aiming for complete and efficient utilization of secondary, tertiary and quaternary regional bioresources in a rural-urban symbiosis. It consists of three major parts - collection of the local bioresources, their conversion in a local network of centralized and decentralized technical units into material and energy products and the utilization of these products. All steps are connected under consideration of logistical aspects. We invite contributions towards this vision under consideration of a profound knowledge on the specific regional situation and the establishment of sector-comprehensive regional networks. The focus is drawn on aspects connected with urban biogenic residues and their value for rural areas. Examples of topic areas might include, but are not limited to the following: • Issues related to whole system changes in waste and waste water management systems

considering e.g. the share of rural and urban areas in a region, the combination of traditional with new conversion technologies and the specific issues of the location.

• Approaches to promote regionally integrated strategies supporting production and application of traditional and new types of residue-based products for local and sub-regional agriculture

• Holistic ecological, economic and societal considerations together with cross-discipline linkages, formation of local industry, decentralized unit networks and utilization of local wisdom.

• Creative and innovative strategies for comprehensive local inventories for residue-based bioresources considering their amount, composition and availability as well as for processing units involved in bioconversion considering their utilization efficiency.

• Approaches for an open documentation of data necessary to design symbiosis systems valid within a country or region, statistically approved and provided by trustworthy sources on a regular basis.

© Petra Bork / Pixeli © M. Großmann / Pixelio


T8: Rural-urban sustainability cases worldwide Sustainable agricultural systems have been a popular research area over the last decade. A sustainable agricultural system aims to deliver sufficient productivity, through the use of minimal and non-hazardous inputs, while maintaining soil quality and contributing to the reduction of environmental problems. Predominantly rural agriculture fulfills the needs of urban settlements regarding food and increasingly also regarding energy and material provision, e.g. biobased plastics. On the other hand, urban residues such as biowaste, sewage sludge, landscaping residues, and biogenic industrial residues contain valuable organic matter and nutrient for agriculture. However, the recycling of such residues for fertilizing and soil quality improvement is limited in practice. Reasons for this include economic factors and legal demands, but practices involving recycling of residues might also cause environmental problems and lead to the evolution of unwanted compounds and pests. Practical case studies addressing issues of integrated rural and urban management, flows between rural and urban systems and multichain bioresource utilization (food, materials and energy) are invited. Innovative examples will consider links between research and sustainable practice and bridge gaps between disciplines. In this theme research aims at providing information and justification for managers across sectors such as agriculture and waste management, wastewater management, energy provision, logistics and urban planning. Activities can include social, economic and environmental dimensions and their interactions. Practical case examples shall consist of rural and urban elements with a holistic perspective. Topic areas might include, but are not limited to, the following: • Implementation of innovative concepts, techniques and management systems which include safe

and efficient recycling of processed urban residues to agriculture while enhancing sustainability both in agriculture and in urban waste management.

• Assessment of practical cases regarding the risks arising from the adoption of new techniques, as well as regarding their long-term benefits.

• Inclusion of new types of residues and residue-based products (e.g. from bioenergy and biomaterial production systems) as well as the growing interest in urban agriculture into rural-urban systems.

• Practical examples of new tools allowing predictions for rural and urban development from a long-term sustainability perspective.

• Implementation and evaluation of strategies and political regulatory measures which encourage the linking of rural and urban systems and which enable compromise solutions between stakeholders with conflicting interests.

© RainerSturm / Pixelio

© M.E / Pixelio

ramiran2015 topics 1-8

Science