Improving manure nutrient management towards sustainable agricultural intensification in China

Traditionally farmers in China have relied on organic manures to build the organic matter content in soil and to fertilise crops for both human and livestock consumption. However, with requirements to increase food production, the use of relatively cheap inorganic fertilisers has increased, and manure nutrients are not always used to their potential. In addition, farms of all sizes and even biogas plants, often lack the basic infrastructure to manage manures; poor containment facilities often result in untreated manures being discharged directly into watercourses, whilst transportation of manures to the field and land spreading is often not mechanised and relies on availability of suitable labour. There is already clear evidence of overuse of nutrients in some parts of China and this is causing undesirable impacts on the environment. With the increasing demand for livestock products from a burgeoning population and changes in dietary preferences towards animal protein, greater quantities of manure nutrients will be generated in the next twenty years, especially in peri-urban concentrated animal feeding operations and intensive farms. It is essential that China addresses the infrastructural, research and communication challenges to ensure that manures are integrated into nutrient planning at the field, farm and regional level to safeguard the environment, reduce the requirement for inorganic fertiliser production and use, and improve farmer incomes. This paper reviews the current manure management practices, both nationally and, where appropriate, at a regional scale, and assesses what barriers currently prevent efficient manure nutrient utilisation in China. We then address the future challenges for manure nutrient management in China, before summarising key gaps in knowledge and communication with implications for research and policy.