Manure helps feed the world: Integrated manure management demonstrates manure is a valuable resource
This practice brief (PDF) from the Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture (GACSA) provides an overview of Integrated Manure Management benefits and the challenges to adopt integrated manure management. The key benefit of Integrated Manure Management is that it prevents nutrient losses as much as possible, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving food security. Integrated Manure Management focuses on the optimal handling of livestock manure from collection, through storage and treatment up to application (crops and aquaculture). Manure contains nutrients and organic matter essential for good soil fertility and soil health and proper handling can thus ensure healthy soils that produce more food and are more resilient to climate change. Manure is a valuable resource of crop fertilizer, soil amendment and as renewable energy. The briefing emphasizes that manure is not a waste, but not properly using manure is a waste. The practice brief also presents case studies on drying manure with rotary tilling machines, using poultry manure to feed fish, and active composting of cattle dung and liquid manure.