China will pay farmers to turn animal poo into fertiliser and power, the PRC's Ministry of Agriculture. China will give farmers subsidies to build animal waste processing facilities to make fertilisers or to treat manure so it's safe for disposal, and to install biogas plants that use methane to generate electricity.
The agriculture ministry gave no details about the size of the subsidies, but the move could be a big step towards curbing chemical fertiliser use and cutting water pollution. According to representatives of the ministry, those who research and use organic fertilizers will also receive preferential treatment for loans, taxes, energy use and land leasing.
In China, how to better dispose of animal waste has become a particular problem due to the fast growth of poultry and hog farming over the past decade to meet demand for higher quality meat. Chinese livestock farms generate nearly 4 billion tonnes of waste annually, according to the agriculture ministry.
The plan is part of Beijing's effort to limit chemical fertilisers and pesticides, which have contaminated soil and water. China uses about one-third of the world's fertilisers. Beijing has said it was targeting zero growth of chemical fertiliser and pesticide by 2020. It has urged farmers to use less chemical fertiliser and turn to animal manure instead.
Source: agropages.com.
