Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
The European Nitrate Directive
Already in 1991, the problem of nitrate pollution from agricultural sources was
addressed at European level through the adoption of the Nitrate Directive (91/676). This
directive obliges member states to:
define zones vulnerable to nitrate pollution on their territory;
establish a Code of Good Agricultural Practices;
fight the causes of nitrate pollution, by an adequate action programme compulsory in
the defined vulnerable zones. Surprisingly the compulsory programme defined by the
Directive nearly exclusively focuses on nitrogen losses from animal production. In this
regard the maximum dose of manure applied must never exceed 170 kg N.ha -1 .yr -1
anywhere in the EU.
establish a water quality monitoring network;
submit a report on water quality and action programme efficiency every four years.
The Walloon Programme of Sustainable Nitrogen Management in Agriculture
In the Walloon region, the general situation is not alarming concerning nitrate
pollution but some regions are clearly more at risk than others, depending mainly on
geological factors.
In conformity with the above-mentioned European directive, the regional government
has identified five vulnerable zones in the Walloon territory so far. Each of these has its
own specificities, but their underlying geological rocks make it easy for nitrates to
percolate up to the water table. However, although the water tables are easily polluted, the
nitrates transfer time is very long and a decrease in nitrate concentration in these
underground waters is not expected before several years.
Soil link rate
The main pillar of the Walloon Action Programme is the 'soil link rate (LS) indicator,
i.e., the ratio between the organic nitrogen produced annually on the farm (and possibly
imported from neighbours) and the amount of organic nitrogen allowed to be spread
annually on the same farm.
The annual quantities of manure allowed to be spread on a farm parcels depend both
on the location of the farm (in or outside vulnerable zones) and its land use (grasslands
and crops area). These values are displayed in Table 1.
Table 1. Authorised quantities of nitrogen from animal manure in Walloon region
In Vulnerable Zones
Outside Vulnerable Zones
Quality Approach
80 kg N.ha -1 .yr -1
120 kg N.ha -1 .yr -1
130 kg N.ha -1 .yr -1
Arable land
210 kg N.ha -1 .yr -1
210 kg N.ha -1 .yr -1
250 kg N.ha -1 .yr -1
Grassland
Source: Walloon Code of Water.
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