Organic Fertiliser Valorisation Implementer
The Organic Fertiliser Valorisation Implementer (OFVI) project, implemented from 2021 to 2025, has successfully concluded. OFVI was part of the African Biodigester Component (ABC) programme, funded by the Governments of the Netherlands and Denmark through their development cooperation initiatives. The ABC programme operates in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali, Niger, and Uganda, strengthening the biodigester value chain and promoting the use of biogas for clean cooking. While ABC focused on the adoption of biodigesters and biogas utilisation, OFVI specifically aimed to increase the use and valorisation of bio-slurry as an organic fertiliser.
It has contributed to:
- better insight into organic fertiliser use among biodigester owners, and barriers to using organic fertiliser understanding which crops and cropping systems benefit most from bio-slurry and bio-slurry enriched compost (BEC)
- an enabling environment, boosting local compost markets by supporting awareness raising and farmers’ experience sharing, promoting credit access, policy for soil health and use of organic fertiliser, and standardisation of compost.
- training biodigester enterprises, public extension officers and others on the production and use of bio-slurry and BEC
OFVI consortium
The OFVI consortium consisted of Biomass Research (lead), DIBcoop and SNV, all based in the Netherlands, in close cooperation with selected National Partners (NPs) in the five countries. OFVI also collaborated with other projects in the ABC programme. Activities were implemented in close cooperation with the proposed National Partners which have rich experience in working in this field: Africa Bioenergy Programs Limited (ABPL) in Kenya, Biogas Solutions Uganda Limited (BSUL) in Uganda, and National Bio-digester Programme (PNB) in Burkina Faso. For Mali and Niger, SNV played the role as national partner via its national offices in these countries.
A selection of OFVI publications is presented in the table below. Additional publications and further project information can be found on the OFVI webiste.
| Title | Description | Download |
| Literature review of best practices bio-slurry and BEC application | This report provides an overview of bioslurry and BEC production and its use as an organic fertiliser on various crops (cereals, vegetables, grasses, tree crops, flowers) in the OFVI countries. It mainly covers agronomic and yield effects, and briefly discusses social benefits from biodigesters. | 606 Downloads |
| Impacts of different organic fertilisers | This poster lists direct (short term) and indirect (long term effects) of chemical and various types of organic fertilizers including farmyard manure (FYM), compost, bioslurry (digestate), and compost made with bioslurry (Bioslurry Enriched Compost or BEC). Short-term effects include immediate nutrient release. Long term effects relate to changes in soil pH and impact on soil physical structure, soil water holding capacity and nutrient buffering capacity, slow release of nutrients and soil life (macrofauna, fungi and bacteria) in a clear and transparent way. | 356 Downloads |
| Feedstock impact biogas and bioslurry quality | This poster shows which feedstocks and combinations of feedstock yield most biogas, and highest quality bioslurry. | 443 Downloads |
| Bioslurry Enriched Compost (BEC) production and application | This presentation provides an overview of compost and composting processes, including different composting methods and the key phases involved. It explains how bioslurry (digestate) can be used to enrich compost and produce Bioslurry Enriched Compost (BEC), along with practical application methods. The presentation covers both small and large-scale composting systems. | 112 Downloads |