The LEITAT Technological Center, originally called Acondicionamiento Tarrasense, has created a program that converts agricultural waste into animal feed, in order to boost farm productivity without harming the environment and reduce European dependency on fertilizer imports.

The European project Noshan, led by the Spanish technology center Acondicionamiento Tarrasense (LEITAT), will convert food waste into animal feed. Specifically this will be carried out with fruit, vegetables and milk waste products, at a low cost and with little energy consumption.

The program to convert waste into feed will provide farmers with new opportunities at the same time that it reduces European dependency on animal feed imports. It will also help to create new green jobs in waste collection, processing plants and feed manufacture.

18% of the world’s food exports originate from the European Union. According to the European Commission these exports are worth €76 billion. It’s estimated however that global demand for food will increase 70% by the year 2050, at the same time that the use of biomass for energy production will exert heavy pressure on food production. To this must be added the problem of agricultural waste, which represents a strong headwind for agriculture and a heavy cost for taxpayers.

Noshan has received almost €3 million in financing under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program for Research and Technological Development (2007-2013). Other European research centers have also participated.