FARM SCALE PRODUCTION AND EFFICIENT USE OF BIOSTIMULANTS FOR REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
2025 – 2026
The aim of this project, implemented in the Archipelago Sea basin catchment area, is to create an operating model for the farm scale production and efficient use of biostimulants aligned with regenerative agriculture. The operating model provides both practical tools and knowledge transfer for the production of inputs for regenerative farming in a way that farms can easily implement and integrate into their existing farming systems. The project also involves the commercialization of a related service product.
The project is co-funded by the Finnish Ministry of the Environment's Ahti programme (Improving the state of waters and marine areas 2023–27).
Designing and assembling pilot-scale production equipment for selected biostimulants on a farm scale.
Creating clear instructions for farmers for farm-scale production and use of selected biostimulants.
Producing test batches of selected biostimulants and demonstrating their use in field cultivation.
Clarifying the legal status and regulatory requirements of selected biostimulants.
Assessing the benefits and profitability of the production and use of selected biostimulants on a farm scale.
Biostimulants can be defined as substances or microorganisms that, when applied to plants or soils, stimulate natural processes. They enhance nutrient uptake, improve stress tolerance, and promote overall plant growth. Unlike traditional fertilizers, which primarily provide nutrients, biostimulants work by enhancing the plant's physiological processes.
In this section you'll find basic information related to biostimulants and their potential role in soil and plant health.
While our project focuses on farm scale production of selected biostimulants, it's still useful to take a look at the commercial biostimulants markets, too. This report gives an overview of the European market of commercially available biostimulant products.
One of the main types of biostimulants are amino acids and protein hydrolysates. While they may have a very industrial ring to their name, amino acids can quite easily be produced at farm scale via fermentation.
In this project, we focus on fermenting fish to produce fish amino acids. In this section you'll find a variety of information related to this.
Vermicomposting is a method of composting that uses earthworms. As the worms digest organic matter, they produce vermicast. This nutrient-rich organic matter is filled with essential nutrients and beneficial microorganisms.
In this section you'll find a variety of information about vermicomposting and how to utilise its end products as biostimulants.
Many biostimulants can be produced on a farm scale. A homemade product can be tailored to your soil and plant needs, and when fresh, it may contain more active microbes than a long-stored commercial product. Local production supports nutrient cycling on the farm and reduces the carbon footprint of transportation. With a homemade product, you also know exactly what the raw materials are, while this is not necessarily the case with commercial formulations. And finally, a key consideration is the cost efficiency of producing your own inputs as compared to commercial inputs.
In this section, you will find information on how to make your own biostimulants on a farm scale.
Once you have produced your own inputs for regenerative farming, the next step is to get them into the soil and plants. These are usually liquid inputs that you can use, for example, in foliar sprays and seed coatings.
In this section you will find information and tips on how to use the inputs you have made yourself.
