A close interaction between research, government and farmers is a promising way of successful implementation of measures that lead to reduced use of N in agriculture and in the losses of nitrogen through nitrate leaching, ammonia volatilisation or soil erosion.

1. Overview of World Bank Experiences with
Agricultural Non Point Source Pollution Control
Projects in ECA
Jitendra Srivastava, Meeta Sehgal & Gary Baker
Environmentally & Socially Sustainable Devpt Unit
World Bank
USA.
Regional Workshop on “Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Control In Black Sea
and Baltic Sea Riparian Countries”. Torun (Przysiek), Poland.
September 17 – 20, 2002

2. During the past few decades Black Sea has suffered severe
environmental degradation mainly due to:
• Eutrophication
• Discharge of insufficiently treated sewage
• Oil pollution
• Toxic substances, e.g., pesticides
• Radioactive substances
• Introduction of exotic species

3. Most significant cause of Black Sea degradation is increased
Eutrophication.
Eutrophication is caused primarily by increased nutrient loads
(nitrogen and phosphorous) from agricultural, industrial and
municipal sources along the coast and tributary rivers,
especially the Danube.
58% of total nitrogen and 66% of total phosphorous flowing
into Black Sea comes from the Danube River basin.
More than half of all nutrient loads into the Danube originate
from agriculture.

4. Mineral N fertilisers consumption – E.U.15 Member States, from
1930 to 1999 Source
EFMA (Millions of tons of nitrogen per year).

5. Strategic Partnership Program on the Black
Sea/Danube Basin
Aims to address root causes of Black Sea/Danube
environmental degradation and to promote investments and
capacity building to return the Black Sea/Danube Basin
environment to its 1960s condition
Established with cooperation of the World Bank, UNDP,
UNEP and other multilateral and bilateral financiers and
basin countries
Six year Program funded by Global Environmental Facility
(GEF)

7. Partnership Program comprises two elements:
• The World Bank Investment Fund for Nutrient
Reduction in the Black Sea/Danube Basin
• Two UNDP/UNEP Regional Projects designed to
enhance capacity of individual riparian countries
and their Commissions (Black Sea Commission and
Danube Commission) and improve policy
framework

8. Bank Projects underway in:
• Georgia
• Romania
• Bulgaria
Under preparation in:
• Turkey
• Moldova
• Ukraine
• Russia

9. World Bank has been closely observing and
drawing from experiences of the Chesapeake Bay
Foundation and EU Countries to address
agricultural non point source pollution control and
nutrient management.

10. Some examples of positive actions
A close interaction between research,
government and farmers is a promising way
of successful implementation of measures
that lead to reduced use of N in agriculture
and in the losses of nitrogen through nitrate
leaching, ammonia volatilisation or soil
erosion.

11. Denmark : National Nitrogen Management
Program
Initiated in 1987,
Provided precise advice to farmers for accurate and moderate
fertilisation
mandatory soil winter cover
balancing of livestock with available manure storage and spreadable
land.
a strict State control system including annual N budget and surplus
for each farm.
regular controls of practices at field level
Results:
Reduction of 28 % of nitrogen losses, and of 50% in the N surplus at
farm level.
In purely agricultural watersheds, a 20 % reduction of N load has been
achieved
Eutrophication of coastal waters is beginning to decrease.

12. Belgium-Wallonia Prop’eau-Sable
The project started in 1997.
The training and advisory input was intensified to reduce N fertilisation
with respect of prevention of N losses to the waters.
On 10 pilot farms, specific measures taken were:
– reasonable fertilisation levels, including soil analysis;
– enhancement of catch crops;
– grassland maintenance;
– manure export from farms with surpluses;
– valorisation of organic manure;
– soil tillage at the end of the summer
– adapted crop rotation schemes.
Farms showed an average reduction of 41% of the N content in 0-150cm soil
profile

13. Greece - Thessaly
Thessaly covers 14000km2
Total cultivated area 36%
Over 3 decades there have been increases in
Irrigation,
Mechanization,
HYV & increased nutrient use
Action plan includes:
Increased N use efficiency
New irrigation techniques
Cultivation of suitable crops
Results
Change in farmer attitude on crop fertilization
Application of pre soiling N.
Use of improved irrigation techniques

14. The Nitrates Directive Process
It consists of 5 steps:
1. Detection of polluted or threatened waters (N)
Human Health Protection, Living resources and aquatic
ecosystems protection
Eutrophication prevention
(1 year monitoring)
2. Designation of “vulnerable zones” (NVZs)
Areas of agricultural land
with significant contribution to N pollution at watershed level
3. Code(s) of Good Agricultural Practices

15. The Nitrates Directive Process
Continued
4. Action Programs within NVZs
Code(s) of good agricultural practice becomes
mandatory
Other measures (nutrient balance, manure storage,
spreading < 170 kg N organic/hectare/year)
5. National Monitoring
Every 4 years on NO3 concentration
Eutrophication
Assessment of Action Programs impact
Revision of renewable zones and action programs

16. Nutrient Removal Efficiency of BMPs in
Terms of Removal of Nitrogen
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
-20%
75%ile
Median
25% ile
LEGEND
CST = Conservation Tillage
CNT = Conventional Tillage
NM = Nutrient Management
FP = Farm Plan which combines soil
erosion control measures.
CST CNT + NM CST + NM CNT + NM + FP CST + NM + FP

17. Nutrient Removal Efficiency of BMPs in
Terms of Removal of Phosphorous
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
-20%
75%ile
Median
25% ile
LEGEND
CST = Conservation Tillage
CNT = Conventional Tillage
NM = Nutrient Management
FP = Farm Plan which combines soil
erosion control measures.
CST CNT + NM CST + NM CNT + NM + FP CST + NM + FP

18. Cost Effectiveness of BMPs in Reducing
Nutrients
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Conservation tillage
Cropland protection
Strip-cropping
Vegetative cover
Terrace
Diversion
Waterw ay
Critical area planning
Sediment and w ater control
Stream protection
Grazing land protection
Animal w aste mgt.
Unit Cost in US$ per kg of N Reduction

19. Lessons Learned:
• Critical to mainstream environmental concerns in
agriculture to promote sustainable agricultural
production systems
• Increasing trend towards knowledge-intensive
agriculture vis-à-vis input-intensive agriculture
• Possible to reduce cost of production and improve
quality and profitability
• Incentives should be provided to farmers and agro-processors
to adopt practices which will reduce
nutrient loads to water bodies

20. World Bank Projects often comprise the following
components:
• Promotion of Environmentally-friendly
Agricultural Practices, including Manure
Management
• Strengthening of National Policy and
Regulatory Capacity for Non Point Source
Pollution Control
• Promotion of Public Awareness Programs and
Mechanisms for Replicability

21. OBJECTIVES AND OUTPUTS
To benefit and learn from the
experiences of:
Poland Project
Projects in European countries and
the United States

22. To help Black Sea and Baltic Sea riparian
countries who are preparing/implementing
Agricultural Pollution Control Projects.
Provide a forum for exchange of
experiences and lessons learnt.

23. OUTCOMES
Development of a network within the
region to learn from each other, to share
experiences in order to mainstream
environmentally friendly practices into
agriculture.