Presentations
Permanent URI for this collection
Browse
Browsing Presentations by Subject "Fertilizers"
Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- ItemFertilizer and Nutrient Management Strategies to Build Soil Health in African Agriculture(2023-11) Bindraban, Prem S.; Upendra Singh; Rob JJ Groot; Bernard Vanlauwe; Kido Kouassi; Patrice AnnequinThere is broad consensus that sustainable intensification is the most effective pathway to improve food security and reduce poverty on the African continent. Healthy soils form the foundation to sustainably increase crop yields that can be maintained through Integrated Soil Fertility Management which integrates the use of organic and inorganic fertilizers for balanced nutrition along with other agronomic practices. However, current cultivation practices of insufficient use of fertilizers cause soil nutrient mining and degradation of African soils and farm communities to spiral into poverty. The African Union has embraced this notion to maintain the health of soils through ISFM and plans to endorse the approach at their Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit in June 2023, in Dakar, Senegal. An action plan is under construction to implement soil health improvement practices. Awareness around the importance of soils and the need for the judicious use of fertilizers has been growing in the international development arena and donors are committing themselves to contribute to the action plan. This presentation will elaborate on the outcomes of the Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit and the committed actions to improve soil health on the African continent for agricultural intensification.
- ItemFertilizer Cost Chain Analysis(2018-10-16) Grace ChilandeThis document provides an overview of the major changes occurring in the fertilizer markets of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with a specific focus on Kenya. The shift from commodity purchasing to value chain development is explored, highlighting the evolving roles of distribution channel players and the increasing integration by manufacturers and traders. The importance of balanced nutrition for productivity enhancement and the detrimental effects of soil acidity are recognized. Additionally, governments' growing awareness of mounting food security issues is discussed. The country overview section focuses on Kenya's fertilizer market, highlighting key statistics such as the subsidized market and the dominance of maize and tea crops. The presence of fertilizer blenders, the historical use of certain products like DAP, issues related to compound fertilizers' adulteration, and limited institutional capacity regarding balanced nutrition and product options are outlined. Farmers' reluctance to change and the significance of a reasonable distribution network are also addressed. The publication delves into the fertilizer value chain, encompassing manufacturing, logistics, and margins. The Port of Mombasa is highlighted as a crucial hub, emphasizing its expansion and the estimated discharge rates for fertilizers. The port operations, customs clearance, warehousing, and transportation costs are discussed. Furthermore, the structure of Kenya's fertilizer market, including the national government's procurement and distribution model, commodity-based input-credit-output models, and independent importers, wholesalers, and retailers, is examined. The document concludes by presenting a comparison of retail fertilizer prices in Kenya and global prices, emphasizing the logistics challenges faced in the country. The impact of freight costs, demurrage fees, and port congestion on fertilizer prices is highlighted. The publication raises the question of how to lower fertilizer prices and invites further exploration into potential solutions.
- ItemImplementation of the Abuja Declaration on Fertilizers for an African Green Revolution(2009-06-16) Maria Wanzala-MlobelaThis presentation discusses the implementation of the Abuja Declaration on Fertilizers for an African Green Revolution, focusing on the efforts to address the fertilizer crisis in Africa. The report presents an overview of the progress made at the regional and country levels, particularly in areas like harmonization of legislation, regional procurement, fertilizer production, and intra-regional trade. It also highlights the challenges faced and provides recommendations for future actions, including the need for accurate data on fertilizer consumption, improved regulation, and the establishment of the African Fertilizer Financing Mechanism (AFFM). The report emphasizes the importance of promoting sustainable and market-friendly fertilizer practices to enhance agricultural productivity in Africa.
- ItemModeling the Effects of Input Market Reforms on Fertilizer Demand and Maize Production: A Case Study of Kenya(2016) Megan Sheahan; Joshua Ariga; Thomas S. JayneKenya is one of the few countries in sub-Saharan Africa experiencing an impressive rise in fertilizer use on food crops grown by smallholder farmers since the liberalization of input markets starting in the early-1990s. The impacts of these reforms and associated private sector investments on national fertilizer use and food production have never been rigorously quantified, though doing so could shed new light on policy makers’ options for raising food crop productivity in the region. This study estimates a double-hurdle model of fertilizer demand that controls for common forms of unobserved heterogeneity then simulates the effect of changes in fertilizer prices and distances from farm to the nearest fertilizer retailer associated with fertilizer market liberalization on the demand for fertilizer and the production of maize, the major staple crop in the country. The study concludes that over the period 1997-2010 the reduction in real fertilizer prices associated with input market liberalization is estimated to have raised maize yields by 15 to 100 kg/ha, depending on the province and year. Low average physical response rates of maize to fertilizer application in high fertilizer consuming areas of Kenya limits the degree to which increased fertilizer use via liberalization policies translates into food production improvements. These increases in maize yield specifically linked to changes in fertilizer prices accounted for between 1 and 11 percent of changes in maize production between survey years.
- ItemOne-Time Application of Multi-Nutrient Fertilizer Briquettes for Maize (Zea mays L.) Production in the Guinea Savanna Ecological Zone of Ghana(2019-11-13) Job Fugice ; Sampson Agyin-Birikorang; Raphael Adu-Gyamfi; Ignatius Tindjina; Upendra Singh; Yaw ManuDeclining maize yields in the Guinea Savanna ecological zone of Ghana call for effective nutrient management strategies that increase maize productivity and profitability among smallholder farmers. Field trials were conducted during 2016 and 2017 in three locations in northern Ghana to evaluate the agronomic effectiveness of one-time application of multi nutrient fertilizer briquettes for maize production. The treatments were: (i) farmer practice (FP); (ii) NPK fertilizer briquettes applied at the recommended N, P, and K rates (100% briquette); (iii) 75% briquette; (iv) modified farmer practice (MFP) with N, P, and K applied at the recommended rate (100% MFP); (v) 75% MFP; and (vi) control, with no fertilizer applied. The farmer practice involved surface broadcasting the granular N, P, and K fertilizer at the recommended rate. The MFP involved subsurface incorporation of the granular fertilizer into the soil. Across all three locations and in both years, maize grain yield resulting from the treatments followed this order: 100% briquette > 100% MFP = 75% briquette > 75% MFP > FP > control. Despite the greatest grain yields resulting from the 100% briquette treatment, the greatest gross profit margin of 0.46 was obtained with the 75% briquette treatment, followed by the 100% briquette treatment (~0.43), 100% MFP (~0.39), 75% MFP (~0.24), and FP (0.03). From the combined results, we conclude that, the one-time application of multi-nutrient fertilizer briquettes could be an efficient fertilizer management strategy for smallholder farmers in the Guinea Savanna zone to increase maize yields and profitability.
- ItemShocks and Structural Issues for African Food Production; How to Continue?(2022-09-05) Bindraban, Prem S.In response to rising concerns about African food security and the impact of external shocks, FoodFIRST organized a Vijverberg session on August 29, 2022. This presentation examines the effects of soaring food and fertilizer prices since the war in Ukraine on African food production. The session featured insights from experts such as Dr. Ir. Prem Bindraban and Jan Willem Molenaar. Bindraban highlights the necessity of fertilizer for achieving food security and the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Africa, dispelling misconceptions about its overuse. Molenaar emphasizes the urgency of addressing structural weaknesses in African agriculture, presenting a systems-based approach to sector transformation. Key takeaways include the need for a long-term vision, addressing root causes, and fostering local ownership. Policy insights focus on optimizing fertilizer use, promoting soil health, and encouraging stakeholder engagement. This session underscores the urgency of coordinated efforts to transform African agriculture sustainably and inclusively, even in the face of global challenges.
- ItemThe Determinants of Private Agricultural R&D: Evidence from India(2023) Anwar Naseem; Latha Nagarajan; Carl E. PrayOver the past three decades, India's agricultural input industries have undergone significant changes. Private agribusiness R&D has experienced substantial growth, with the state-owned firms from the Green Revolution era either stagnating or declining. Indian corporations, once protected from foreign competition, are now exporting agricultural tractors and pesticides, while foreign multinational corporations are increasing their presence in the seed, pesticide, and machinery sectors. This transformation has been driven by factors such as strong demand for inputs, changes in policy, and advancements in technology. This paper empirically examines government policies, technology, institutions, and R&D investments contributing to this transformation. It explores the dynamic relationship between public and private research, the impact of public sector research on the private sector, and the effects of various exogenous factors on private R&D in India's agricultural input industry.