General STRATUS organizes successful regional demonstration on the Soil Passport and border spreading techniques
On Friday 13 February 2026, the Belgian partners of STRATUS organized a practice-oriented demonstration afternoon in Merelbeke-Melle focusing on the Soil Passport and border spreading techniques for mineral fertilizer application. The event brought together agricultural advisors, sector professionals and farmers to explore innovative and sustainable practices in nutrient and soil management.
The afternoon was opened by Sophie Nawara (Soil Service of Belgium), who introduced the STRATUS project. STRATUS is a European H2020 project which aims to establish a European network of advisors to accelerate knowledge exchange on integrated nutrient management. In Belgium, ILVO, Ghent University (UGent) and Soil Service of Belgium are project partners.
By focusing on precision farming, bio-based fertilizers and soil quality, STRATUS seeks to identify 48 best practices that reduce nutrient losses while maintaining soil fertility. These practices are being compiled on the digital platform AdvisoryAgriHub.
Digital support through the Soil Passport
During the regional demonstration, two concrete best practices were presented, i.e. the soil passport and spread pattern measurement for fertilizer spreaders.
Annemie Leys from the Agency for Agriculture and Fisheries provided a comprehensive explanation of the Soil Passport: a digital tool that brings together soil-related data for a farmer’s parcels. Farmers can easily consult this information and share it with advisors or other stakeholders.
The Soil Passport integrates data from various sources, including area types defined under the Manure Decree, phosphate classes, erosion codes, support measures, soil types, relative elevation maps, crop growth curves and drought data. Historical crop data from the annual declaration are also included.
In addition, the system features a simulation tool that enables farmers to model carbon sequestration over the next thirty years based on adjusted cropping and fertilization scenarios. Through DjustConnect, soil sample analysis results can also be automatically integrated. In this way, the Soil Passport supports both farmers and advisors in making well-informed decisions for sustainable soil management.
Practical demonstration of border spreading and innovative spreading techniques
In the second part of the afternoon, Donald Dekeyser (ILVO) delivered a practical demonstration on border spreading and the assessment of fertilizer spread patterns. Under MAP 7 regulations, it is mandatory to apply granulated mineral fertilizer along the outer tramline of a field using a border spreading device.
Participants gained insight into different techniques (spreading towards the field edge and spreading away from the edge) and their impact on spread patterns and fertilizer distribution. Using collection trays and mats, the spreading pattern was visually analyzed. Both methods resulted in a clearly defined spread pattern along the field boundary, contributing to more targeted fertilization and reduced nutrient losses.
A demonstration with a spreading drone followed, organised within the operational group Strooivlucht. This project explores the use of drones for sowing and fertilizing and provides practical guidance to farmers on applying this technology. The effectiveness and feasibility of drones are compared with traditional methods, including an analysis of spreading patterns from different drones and seed mixtures. The legal framework governing drone flights is also clearly communicated to farmers.
The afternoon concluded with an evaluation session, offering ample opportunity for questions, exchange of experiences and networking.
With this successful event, STRATUS reaffirms its commitment to making up-to-date knowledge and practical solutions for sustainable fertilization practices widely accessible to the agricultural sector.
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