Bin with overflowing rubbish in rural setting
First MINAGRIS workshop series held to discuss solutions to soil plastics

How do you draw farmers and policymakers towards finding sustainable solutions to plastics in soil?

Farmers are very aware of the sustainability problems of plastic use in agriculture and try to find solutions. However, they are not sure how much they can do about it right now.

This dilemma makes MINAGRIS vital in bridging the gap by researching the impact of plastic use on soil and finding solutions or alternatives.

Between November 2023 and July 2024, we held our first series of workshops across the 11 MINAGRIS case study sites to share macroplastic results, discuss sustainable practices and look at alternatives to agricultural plastic use.

Participants discuss the viability of bio plastic products

Present were researchers from the programme and elsewhere, policymakers, NGOs, industry representatives and farmers.

Four major themes emerged – the financial cost of alternatives, their overall viability as a plastic replacement, the need for better regulations and the importance of knowledge-sharing.

  • Finance friction

The cost was a significant factor for farmers. Many agreed that alternatives to plastic are more expensive and difficult to justify when farmers are competing in a global market. 

They argued that financial incentives, like subsidies, are needed to offset the high costs of sustainable alternatives.

  • Research and alternatives

Are plastic alternatives effective or robust enough? This question came up repeatedly. Participants wanted to know more about how degradable the other options really were. They also wanted more data on their viability and functionality.

Farmers need greater local availability of biodegradable and bio-based alternatives, ideally supported by quality standards, to ensure reliability in agricultural conditions.

Encouraging local solutions can reduce dependency on conventional plastics while supporting local economies. Examples include regionally sourced materials like straw or woodchips. However, some expressed concern about how they compared cost-wise to plastic.

  • Regulatory frameworks

Participants reported a lack of uniform recycling regulations and high disposal costs, and argued for more supportive regulations.

Standardised recycling regulations across regions would provide consistency and accessibility for farmers.

Improved infrastructure for collecting and recycling agricultural plastics is essential for making sustainable practices feasible and cost-effective.

  • The knowledge gap

Farmers and stakeholders expressed the need for research into the long-term impacts of biodegradable alternatives on soil health and ecology, especially concerning microplastics and chemical residues.

They also pointed to knowledge gaps about the environmental impact of options that are labelled biodegradable.

Educational initiatives to raise awareness of sustainable practices and to provide technical training on the proper use and disposal of plastics would also promote informed decision-making.

Citizens action

Citizens are vital in demanding and influencing change. External communications to change people’s perspectives is one of the tasks of MINAGRIS.  

As such, the participants also discussed the purpose of the SoilPlastic App. Created as part of the MINAGRIS project by Spotteron, SoilPlastic is an app that encourages the public to share sightings of plastic in agricultural soil. The participants felt the app created possibilities for engagement and awareness raising.

What we learned

  • Better timing and Scheduling: We need to plan workshops well in advance (2-3 months) and schedule them outside of peak farming seasons to ensure higher attendance from farmers and other stakeholders.
  • Broader Stakeholder Involvement & Extended Outreach: Include more diverse participants, such as waste management companies, alternative material suppliers, supermarket sales agents, and other relevant entities. By including more participants, we could get a better view of sustainable practices and solutions and strengthen the impact and reach of the sustainability message across the sector.
  • Data and Presentation Improvements: Ensure more detailed and specific data on micro- and nano-plastic findings are available to address stakeholder interest. Use visual aids, like radar charts, to make complex results more straightforward.
  • Enhanced Engagement and Interaction: Organise more interactive sessions and allow more time for open discussions. Moderate discussions carefully to prevent any feelings of blame or discomfort among participants, especially farmers.

More about the project

MINAGRIS is an EU-funded project that aims to reduce plastic contamination of soils and change minds about how we use plastic in agriculture. We research the presence and impact of micro- and nano-plastics on agricultural soils, educate stakeholders, and explore the potential of alternative, sustainable materials used for growing and packaging food.

The next set of workshops will take place January to March 2025.

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