Compost Management in Iran: Opportunities and Challenges

Background: According to report of the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), between 33 to 60 percent increase in agricultural production in the world due to the use of chemical fertilizers. Negative effects of fertilizers on the environment and health of living organisms, especially humans, has encountered the country whit challenges such as increasing the number of cancer. Therefore, it is necessary to replace chemical fertilizers whit biofertilizers such as compost. Compost Causes increases in productivity and controls soil erosion. Methods: In order to achieve the objectives of the research, literature review was conducted and to investigate the status of chemical fertilizers and compost in Iran and developed countries through internal and external databases, documents were collected. Results: Use of fertilizers in Europe forecasted to decline 16 million tons in 2030, while in the Iran, rate of fertilizer forecast increases to 6700 thousand tons in 2020. Total supply of compost in the country is 164 thousand tons in 2009 and will be to 590 thousand tons in 2016. The total demand is 472 thousand tons in 2009 and will be to 661 thousand tons in 2016. This indicates that there is 71 thousand tons deficiency in the supply until 2016. Conclusion: Use more of compost in the country, need to a multi-faceted management issue that Ministries, municipalities and recycle of organizations must be working together. Therefore necessary awareness aboute the adverse effects of indiscriminate use of fertilizers and also promote the use compost, in addition to reducing the use of chemical fertilizers, will be cause more demand for consumption of compost.