Sustainable Agriculture Through Agricultural Waste Management: A Comprehensive Review of Composting’s Impact on Soil Health in Moroccan Agricultural Ecosystems

Agricultural activities generate substantial quantities of waste, which are often relegated to landfills or incineration. However, these residues can be effectively valorized through composting, which transforms them into valuable organic fertilizers (OF). Composting agricultural waste (AW) mitigate...

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Main Authors: Majda Oueld Lhaj, Rachid Moussadek, Abdelmjid Zouahri, Hatim Sanad, Laila Saafadi, Meriem Mdarhri Alaoui, Latifa Mouhir
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Agriculture
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/12/2356
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author Majda Oueld Lhaj
Rachid Moussadek
Abdelmjid Zouahri
Hatim Sanad
Laila Saafadi
Meriem Mdarhri Alaoui
Latifa Mouhir
author_facet Majda Oueld Lhaj
Rachid Moussadek
Abdelmjid Zouahri
Hatim Sanad
Laila Saafadi
Meriem Mdarhri Alaoui
Latifa Mouhir
author_sort Majda Oueld Lhaj
collection DOAJ
description Agricultural activities generate substantial quantities of waste, which are often relegated to landfills or incineration. However, these residues can be effectively valorized through composting, which transforms them into valuable organic fertilizers (OF). Composting agricultural waste (AW) mitigates environmental impacts and offers significant benefits in enhancing soil fertility and productivity. This practice is particularly beneficial in regions with low soil fertility and degraded land, where compost can improve soil health and productivity. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the literature on the valorization of AW through composting, focusing on its environmental, agricultural, and economic impacts on soil health, especially in Morocco’s agricultural ecosystems. It synthesizes findings from studies published over the past two decades to offer critical insights and recommendations for optimizing composting practices. By systematically evaluating, this review highlights composting as a pivotal strategy for enhancing soil health, reducing environmental impact, and promoting sustainable AW management. Future research is essential to explore opportunities for optimizing the composting process, including content enhancement and processing duration. In summary, the composting process can be seen as an effective and sustainable solution that fits within the principles of circular economy (CE) and that requires careful evaluation and ongoing monitoring.
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issn 2077-0472
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher MDPI AG
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series Agriculture
spelling doaj-art-e398654421f140a6919b80845fb8cd492025-08-20T02:55:31ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722024-12-011412235610.3390/agriculture14122356Sustainable Agriculture Through Agricultural Waste Management: A Comprehensive Review of Composting’s Impact on Soil Health in Moroccan Agricultural EcosystemsMajda Oueld Lhaj0Rachid Moussadek1Abdelmjid Zouahri2Hatim Sanad3Laila Saafadi4Meriem Mdarhri Alaoui5Latifa Mouhir6Laboratory of Process Engineering and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology Mohammedia, University Hassan II of Casablanca, Mohammedia 28806, MoroccoInternational Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Rabat 10100, MoroccoResearch Unit on Environment and Conservation of Natural Resources, Regional Center of Rabat, National Institute of Agricultural Research, AV. Ennasr, Rabat 10101, MoroccoLaboratory of Process Engineering and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology Mohammedia, University Hassan II of Casablanca, Mohammedia 28806, MoroccoLaboratory of Process Engineering and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology Mohammedia, University Hassan II of Casablanca, Mohammedia 28806, MoroccoResearch Unit on Environment and Conservation of Natural Resources, Regional Center of Rabat, National Institute of Agricultural Research, AV. Ennasr, Rabat 10101, MoroccoLaboratory of Process Engineering and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology Mohammedia, University Hassan II of Casablanca, Mohammedia 28806, MoroccoAgricultural activities generate substantial quantities of waste, which are often relegated to landfills or incineration. However, these residues can be effectively valorized through composting, which transforms them into valuable organic fertilizers (OF). Composting agricultural waste (AW) mitigates environmental impacts and offers significant benefits in enhancing soil fertility and productivity. This practice is particularly beneficial in regions with low soil fertility and degraded land, where compost can improve soil health and productivity. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the literature on the valorization of AW through composting, focusing on its environmental, agricultural, and economic impacts on soil health, especially in Morocco’s agricultural ecosystems. It synthesizes findings from studies published over the past two decades to offer critical insights and recommendations for optimizing composting practices. By systematically evaluating, this review highlights composting as a pivotal strategy for enhancing soil health, reducing environmental impact, and promoting sustainable AW management. Future research is essential to explore opportunities for optimizing the composting process, including content enhancement and processing duration. In summary, the composting process can be seen as an effective and sustainable solution that fits within the principles of circular economy (CE) and that requires careful evaluation and ongoing monitoring.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/12/2356agricultural residueorganic wastesoil fertilitysoil healthwaste managementcircular economy
spellingShingle Majda Oueld Lhaj
Rachid Moussadek
Abdelmjid Zouahri
Hatim Sanad
Laila Saafadi
Meriem Mdarhri Alaoui
Latifa Mouhir
Sustainable Agriculture Through Agricultural Waste Management: A Comprehensive Review of Composting’s Impact on Soil Health in Moroccan Agricultural Ecosystems
Agriculture
agricultural residue
organic waste
soil fertility
soil health
waste management
circular economy
title Sustainable Agriculture Through Agricultural Waste Management: A Comprehensive Review of Composting’s Impact on Soil Health in Moroccan Agricultural Ecosystems
title_full Sustainable Agriculture Through Agricultural Waste Management: A Comprehensive Review of Composting’s Impact on Soil Health in Moroccan Agricultural Ecosystems
title_fullStr Sustainable Agriculture Through Agricultural Waste Management: A Comprehensive Review of Composting’s Impact on Soil Health in Moroccan Agricultural Ecosystems
title_full_unstemmed Sustainable Agriculture Through Agricultural Waste Management: A Comprehensive Review of Composting’s Impact on Soil Health in Moroccan Agricultural Ecosystems
title_short Sustainable Agriculture Through Agricultural Waste Management: A Comprehensive Review of Composting’s Impact on Soil Health in Moroccan Agricultural Ecosystems
title_sort sustainable agriculture through agricultural waste management a comprehensive review of composting s impact on soil health in moroccan agricultural ecosystems
topic agricultural residue
organic waste
soil fertility
soil health
waste management
circular economy
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/12/2356
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