IFDC Report, Volume 27, No. 2
Abstract
This report highlights the participation of the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) in the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in August-September 2002. Represented by members of its staff, IFDC aims to improve the quality, accuracy, and availability of data necessary for understanding and monitoring the environment in Africa. The project utilizes geographic information system (GIS) tools to monitor soil nutrient depletion and promote sustainable development. With funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the long-term objective is to provide global access to satellite imagery and integrate it with global positioning systems (GPS) for various applications. The report also highlights the WSSD's commitment to reducing global poverty and hunger, emphasizing the importance of monitoring and improving nutrient balances in agricultural land to achieve this goal. Furthermore, the report discusses the renewed interest in agriculture among the donor community and the potential of new technologies in reversing land degradation and increasing productivity in the developing world. The report concludes by describing two projects, one focusing on soil moisture conservation techniques in eastern Africa and the other on using phosphate rock as a sustainable crop production method.
Description
Keywords
Agricultural research, Integrated Soil Fertility Management, Crop production, Decision Support Systems