In the quest for sustainable agriculture, a new review published in *Discover Agriculture* (which translates to *Odkrywanie Rolnictwa* in Polish) offers a compelling look at the global adoption of organo-mineral fertilisers (OMFs) and their potential to revolutionise crop productivity while mitigating environmental impacts. Led by Katarzyna Chojnacka from the Department of Advanced Material Technologies at the Wrocław University of Science and Technology, the research synthesises findings from 75 peer-reviewed studies to provide a nuanced perspective on OMF adoption across different regions.
The study reveals that OMFs, which combine organic and mineral nutrients, offer a promising middle ground between conventional fertilisers and organic amendments. In high-income countries, precision-placed sludge-derived OMFs have demonstrated significant reductions in nitrate leaching—up to 15 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹—while maintaining cereal yields. “This dual benefit of environmental protection and productivity is a game-changer,” says Chojnacka, highlighting the potential for OMFs to address both food security and ecological concerns.
In tropical regions, biochar-enriched OMFs have shown remarkable results, reducing potassium leaching by 50–77% and lowering greenhouse-gas emissions by 18%. Maize yields in these trials increased by 20–30%, a testament to the efficacy of these innovative fertilisers. The integration of biochar and struvite OMFs with precision application technologies further reduced nitrous-oxide emissions by 7–10%, underscoring the synergy between advanced technologies and sustainable practices.
For low-income settings, the study found that community-managed compost-plus-mineral packages boosted maize yields by 25–40%, accompanied by improvements in soil organic carbon and water retention. Poultry-manure-urea OMFs were particularly cost-effective, offering grain gains at lower costs. However, the adoption of Internet-of-Things (IoT)-guided nutrient delivery, which raised fertiliser-use efficiency by 20%, remains cost-prohibitive for many smallholders, highlighting the need for affordable technological solutions.
The research also explored policy and economic enablers, such as carbon-credit and nutrient-trading pilots, which improved project bankability where monitoring systems were functional. Heavy-metal contents in phosphogypsum-based OMF pellets and dust-explosion risks during biochar processing were found to be within regulatory limits under standard mitigation measures, ensuring safety and compliance.
Chojnacka emphasises the importance of harmonised quality standards, smallholder-oriented credit, and investment in rural logistics to facilitate the safe and scalable deployment of OMFs. “The future of agriculture lies in integrating high-tech precision methods with low-cost organic-recycling approaches,” she notes, suggesting that this dual strategy can yield complementary improvements in crop productivity, nutrient retention, and climate-change mitigation.
The study calls for long-term field trials on OMF-microbiome interactions and carbon stabilisation, optimisation of region-specific slow-release formulations, and the development of Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) approaches tailored for smallholders. Additionally, evaluations of blended finance models could further enhance the financial viability of OMF adoption.
As the agricultural sector grapples with the dual challenges of feeding a growing population and mitigating environmental degradation, the insights from this research offer a beacon of hope. By bridging the gap between high-tech solutions and low-cost, community-driven approaches, OMFs could pave the way for a more sustainable and productive future. Published in *Discover Agriculture*, this review not only informs current practices but also sets the stage for future innovations in the field.