Composting: An Alternative for Establishing Agroecological Models

Abstract

Written by an advisor at the Corporación de Investigación para el Ecodesarrollo Regional, this article presents a comprehensive technical guide to composting as a tool for managing solid organic substrates in agriculture. The author describes the initial parameters that must be adjusted to begin the process and details the four phases of composting, explaining pathogen sanitization mechanisms. The text presents technical criteria for assessing compost maturity and describes two methods of agricultural application, presenting a case study of strawberry, tomato, and coffee crops in Antioquian municipalities documenting savings of between 9% and 11% through combined use of compost with chemical fertilizers.