One of the best ways to improve soil health is to make the best use of organic manures. Soil organic matter boosts soil biology, and improves its physical and chemical properties, structure, root penetration and crop productivity; it’s been in drastic decline recently, but slurries and manures help to increase it.
Incorporating them into fertiliser plans saves on artificial fertiliser and reduces the overuse of nitrogen and phosphorus, thereby lowering greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts.
The best way to use these manures is to know their nutrient values; technologies such as mobile phone apps mean agricultural consultants, advisors and farmers can access field-level data which could dramatically improve management decisions, farm profitability and environmental quality.
The Farm Crap App Pro is a further development of the previous Farm Crap App. This version–developed via the existing relationship between Duchy College and Rothamsted Research North Wyke, in collaboration with Cornish SME, FoAM Kernow–responded directly to demand from users for a range of enhancements, from a comprehensive database of crops grown with nutrient requirements, to the facility to share results with other app users.
This upgraded version will help minimise water and air pollution across Cornwall by enhanced understanding and application of manures, slurries and other by–products, and will create new business opportunities for a wide range of other by-products / waste streams to be included within the app, which in turn helps develop the circular economy within Cornwall. Another anticipated long-term benefit is that, thanks to the app’s accumulation of data, an increasingly comprehensive bank of expertise will be available to the next generation of farm consultants and advisors, which helps towards the kind of sustainable development which recognises the needs of the economy, society and the natural environment.
As regards the here and now, however, this project has made the app more useful for farmers and advisors, and will allow for improved manure-use on-farm, positively impacting soil quality, farm businesses and the environment. And as a practical tool that will both aid compliance and be an evidence-based incentive, the app will also help further the aims of the new Environment Land Management Scheme (ELMS), particularly with regard to improved nutrient management and pollution reduction.
The app is being developed in collaboration with FoAM Kernow.
You can download the app here:
For more information about the project please contact Alex Bebbington on 01579 372370 or alex.bebbington@duchy.ac.uk
View a demonstration of the app below. Running time approx. 35 minutes
