. This poses a serious threat to food security, as the planting season starts this summer. So far, the war in Ukraine has mostly affected countries importing wheat and corn. But many countries, including some major food exporters, are net fertilizer importers. Persistently high fertilizer prices may spread to a broader variety of crops including rice, a staple which has not yet seen war-related price hikes.
The World Bank’s fertilizer price index rose nearly 15 percent from earlier this year – prices have more than tripled compared to two years ago. High input costs, supply disruptions, and trade restrictions are driving the recent spike. Natural gas prices started rising last fall as tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalated leading to widespread production cutbacks in ammonia—an important part of nitrogen-based fertilizers. Similarly, the rising price of coal in China, the main feedstock for ammonia production there, forced fertilizer factories to cut production.
There are several ways to do this.
First, countries should lift trade restrictions or export bans on fertilizers. Export restrictions make things worse, putting fertilizers further out of reach of poorer developing countries who face the highest levels of food insecurity and hunger. As of early June, there were 310 active trade measures across 86 countries affecting food and fertilizers, and nearly 40% of these have been restrictive. This number is now approaching levels not seen since the 2008-2012 global food price crisis. To facilitate trade, countries can reduce delays and cut compliance costs by getting rid of unnecessary red tape for importing targeted goods.
One of the local bottlenecks of global fertilizer trade is the financing needs of manufacturers, traders, and importers. In some cases, the financing needs for fertilizer buyers have tripled, compounding the general scarcity of local commercial bank financing in many of these markets. Short-term credit facilities and guarantees, mobilized with the support of international development actors, may be necessary in some cases.
Second, fertilizer use must be made more efficient. This can be done by providing farmers appropriate incentives that do not encourage their overuse. Nitrogen use efficiency, for example, ranges from 30-50 percent in general. Meanwhile, the European Union Nitrogen Expert Panel recommends nitrogen use efficiency of around 90 percent. Subsidies that encourage excessive use of fertilizers also encourage wastage. Even worse, this has devastating environmental and climate change implications.
More efficient use of fertilizers can help ensure available supplies go further, especially to countries most in need.
There are opportunities to rework public policies and better target scarce public expenditures to create the incentives for more productive and sustainable use of fertilizer. An example of the kind of transformation that is possible are the reforms that the European Union’s 1992 Common Agriculture Practice (CAP) implemented. Prior to these reforms, support to EU’s agricultural sector – such as minimum prices, import tariffs, government purchases – kept EU farm prices above world rates, which encouraged excessive use of fertilizers. With the reforms, support to the EU CAP shifted to direct payments and farm prices became more closely aligned with world prices. These changes increased the incentives to use fertilizer more efficiently.
Third, we must invest in innovation to develop best practices and newer technologies that will help increase output per kg of fertilizer used. This includes investing in knowledge to ensure the best suited fertilizer and quantity are applied to specific crops. We must also invest in soil health to maximize the effectiveness of fertilizers. Precision agriculture is one example of such improved technologies that are already available. Fertigation is another, which combines fertilization with irrigation, using fertilizers in measured quantities determined by sensors. But much more can and needs to be done by investing in pushing the frontiers of knowledge to make sure waste is minimized, only the right amount is applied as is needed for a particular plant at a particular stage of growth. Another option is to supplement conventional fertilizers with viable bio-fertilizers and practices. This will not only help with the current supply challenges, but also reduce the impact of fertilizers on the climate, and on soil and water resources.
Our ability to maintain global trade and the movement of fertilizers will be one of the determining factors on the length and severity of this food crisis. As farmers have started to alter their production due to challenges in fertilizers,
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This Article is suitable about this but it is not enough. Fertilizer is nessesary for crop productivity but soil fertility is nessesary for this. There are use of high chemical fertilizer loss soil fertility.
So about this promote balance use of chemical fertilizer with Organic mannur.
I am a farmer and promote Vermiculture in Agriculture sector. I have own Vermicompost unit in Maharajganj district in Uttar Pradesh in India. If any can visit. Your welcome at our Vermicompost unit.
I have a lot of success farmers use Vermicompost and get real crop production.
Thanks. Namaskar.
Nagendra pandey.
Contract No is- 09839198163
Why is there no mention here about regenerative agriculture? Cover crops? Livestock rotation? Its not just about climate, but also soil fertility.
Trustee, Nature Conservancy, New Mexico
Fertiliser subsidies that actually subsidized the fertiliser prodution firms is likely to be reviewed for reduction in the next few days in the developing economies and certainly in India. There is enough damage to the soil and scarce water resources through excessive use of fertilisers. It is essential to regenerate soils so spoiled through appropriate crop rotation and soil nutrients to keep the farm production on top of the agenda.
What an informative read! I will definitely share with my connections. Am sure many from my country, Kenya, will find this information useful. Thanks!
I wish to follow the fertilizer value chain and the world supply trends.
This write-up is awesome, in addition, there is need to subsidize fertilizer and other agricultural inputs for 'farmers' use, this will make it accessible and affordable. Farmers quoted here are the real smallholder farmers who are on the farm.
1/. Issue of fertilizer to the big farmer as indicated above is right. However, small farmer do not talked of fertilizer at all due to current price not affordable.
2/. A similar trend on new technology follow. Prices of new machines out of reach by many farmers.
3/. Government policies keep changing , thereby affecting many farmers.
4/. Time/period farming is an issue.
5/. Financial situation is also a case to deliberate upon..
Serious global Investment on developing more efficient formulations of fertilisers , including customised fertilisers, making fertigation more affordable and accessible, making public policies that promote only the balanced and efficient use are crucial for farm and ecological sustainability.
Serious global Investment on developing more efficient formulations of fertilisers , including customised fertilisers, making fertigation more affordable and accessible, making public policies that promote only the balanced and efficient use are crucial for farm and ecological sustainability.
The of fertilizer is extremely high in Africa and as such 90% of famers can not afford it. This affect the sustainable development of agriculture in Africa, especially Nigeria.
The of fertilizer is extremely high in Africa and as such 90% of famers can not afford it. This affect the sustainable development of agriculture in Africa, especially Nigeria.
I wish all the Indian farmers should acquaint to fertilizer uses
But in indian market there is a big broker channel by which prices got tripled of their original price
The communities here in Nigeria to be precise, Plateau State Jos that comprised the most populated part of the state peasant farmers who farming activities, are of family size manual equipment used are inadequate to provide for the family talk of commercial purpose. The land are turned upside down by mining activities during the colonial area, which is unproductive because of the top soil is not fertile for growth of crop or production. The crops are grown basically on chemical fertilizer, that makes the desire and usage and supply of chemical fertilizer high, the demand is comparable to none in the country the present challenge confronting us as farmers is unbearable. The cost of fertilizer a fifty kilo gram used to be seven thousand naira before now, is as high as twenty nine thousand naira par bag. We seriously in need of subsidy if not food shortage in inevitable will also lead to food security, is unfortunate this season Irish potato was infested with dasease no harvest done.
I think this is very potential ways especially in Africa country. When Africa country used this ways will avoid situation of food insecurity. Currently in Africa country especially in Tanzania price of maize wheat and sunflower rises rapidly. Here admire on this ambition.
I think this is very potential ways especially in Africa country. When Africa country used this ways will avoid situation of food insecurity. Currently in Africa country especially in Tanzania price of maize wheat and sunflower rises rapidly. Here admire on this ambition.
Well articulated. Precision Agronomy using digital technologies could help increase FUE. This apart, issues such as conflicts, wars, climate change exacerbate problems. We need good science backed by good policy leaders.
Perfectly said. Every government should make aware of using right quantity of fertilizer as according to crop and also make aware to use fungicide and insecticide too to get better yield. Some government specially developing countries where they need more food , promoting in the name of organic , they are decreasing their crop yield quantity and forcing to import in future. Instead they should make aware to use right chemicals to make plant healthy and residual period to harvest.
Regards, shailendra shrestha