The main work carried out during the 2nd reporting period (RP2) (March 2024 – August 2025) includes getting NutriModels operational, generating experimental data for validation of the NutriModels and launching mock-up version of the NutriPlatform DST prototype. More specifically, the following was achieved with respect to the five pillars mentioned above:
• NutriDesign: includes two components: (i) the Mitigation Measures Catalogue, listing agronomic measures to optimize EU nutrient budgets, and (ii) the NutriKPI framework, integrating environmental and productivity indicators into key performance metrics. In RP2, the Catalogue expanded to 50 measures, and meta-analysis quantified their effects on NutriKPIs such as crop yield, nitrogen use efficiency, soil quality, animal nutrient efficiency, and manure processing (Deliverable 1.3). Results informed meta-regression algorithms to assess soil, crop, and fertilizer management impacts on yield, NUE, soil pH, and SOC (Deliverable 1.5).
The NutriKPI framework also established methodologies to evaluate carbon and nutrient budgets against five objectives: soil, water, climate, biodiversity, and production (Deliverable 3.2). Thresholds for critical or target nutrient levels define KPI gaps, enabling assessment of progress toward balanced nutrient management and sustainable agriculture.
• NutriData: In addition to the state-of-the-art data in the Catalogue, 19 of the 50 mitigation measures are being experimentally studied within the NutriBudget project to generate new data and address existing gaps. The first year of experiments has been completed, and the second year is expected to conclude by November 2025. Upon completion, the data will be processed and integrated into the NutriModels framework, together with Catalogue data, to assess the measures’ impacts at farm and EU scales. To validate the NutriModel framework across climatic regions, long-term experimental data are being collected—validation for Boreal zones is complete, while work for other regions is ongoing.
• NutriModels: operate at both regional (MITERRA-Europe; Deliverable 2.3) and farm levels (NutriFarm; Deliverable 2.4) across all European farming systems (EU-27, Switzerland, and the UK). They assess current soil carbon and nutrient budgets (N, P, K, S, Mg, Ca, Cu, Zn) to evaluate the gap to desired states (Deliverable 2.5) and the impact of mitigation measures (planned for RP3). NutriModels are unique in covering a broad range of nutrients beyond N and P, offering a comprehensive assessment of nutrient dynamics.
• NutriPlatform: In combination with the operable NutriModels, the NutriKPI framework is now being implemented in the NutriPlatform as a prototype DST. The mock-up of the DST is available, and farmers can already give a feedback on its features and expected outcome that they wish to see from the NutriPlatform.
• Nutri-Actor approach: this approach allows us to involve all relevant actors (farmers, bio-based community, food industry, policy makers, etc.) interested in nutrient management to participate in co-creation of the NutriBudget outputs. Until now in total 556 stakeholders participated across 18 co-creation sessions in order to receive stakeholder input for co-creation of the Catalogue, NutriModels, NutriKPI framework and NutriPlatform, which were the main focus of the co-creation in RP2.
