IFDC Report, Volume 20, No. 2
Abstract
This report provides an overview of the work and progress at the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) in June 1995. The report highlights a project in Albania aimed at developing a decision support system for agricultural practices by incorporating soil resources, climatic variability, and crop growth potential. The project involves assembling quantitative descriptions of agricultural soils, constructing a historical weather database, integrating soil and weather information into a Geographic Information System (GIS), and validating crop growth models. The report emphasizes the need for timely and relevant information on the dynamic agricultural system in Albania, especially as the country undergoes liberalization and private cultivation. Furthermore, the report discusses the efforts of IFDC in Bangladesh to implement the Agro-Based Industries and Technology Project (ATDP), which aims to increase productive employment in agriculture and related sectors. The project focuses on creating competitive markets for agricultural inputs, outputs, and technologies and promotes reforms in trade policy, industrial and agricultural policy, and fiscal and commercial policy. Additionally, the report mentions a workshop conducted by IFDC, the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA), and the European Fertilizer Manufacturers Association (EFMA) in Moscow to develop the Russian fertilizer market, aiming to identify constraints and establish a development program. The report also highlights IFDC's involvement in extending the Soil Management Collaborative Research Support Program (SM-CRSP) for integrated nutrient management. It discusses IFDC's role in advising and addressing nutrient and soil management constraints for sustainable food production and natural resource management in developing countries. Lastly, the report presents an overview of IFDC's programs in Africa, including the extension of the Market Development Project, efforts to restore soil fertility, and the establishment of a Soil Fertility Management Unit (SFMU) in Burkina Faso.
Description
Keywords
Decision Support Systems, Soil resources, Agricultural soils, Technology