World trends in fertilizer use and projections to 2020

Fertilizers have played an important role in increased crop production, especially in cereal yields, and will continue to be a cornerstone of the science-based agriculture required to feed the expanding world population. Fertilizers replenish the nutrients removed from soils by harvested crops, encourage adoption of high-yielding varieties, and increase biomass in the nutrient-poor soils of the tropics. Bumb and Baanante trace fertilizer use until the 1990s as well as production and price trends. Finally they propose projected trends in use, requirements, and production. The authors conclude that, overall, a conducive and stable policy environment, including macroeconomic stability, price incentives, credit availability, efficient organizational arrangements, research and extension support, regulatory frameworks, and environmental monitoring, will be essential to promote environmentally friendly growth in fertilizer use and supply to 2020.Fertilizers. ,Crops Economic aspects. ,Cereal crops. ,Environmental protection. ,

Policy options for improving regional fertilizer markets in West Africa:

A primary motivation for this study is to identify a key set of policy options for improving fertilizer markets in West Africa (among Economic Community of West African States member countries) in ways that ultimately will help improve the efficiency of regional markets and lower the transaction costs and fiscal burdens of increasing fertilizer use in the region. Guided by the 2008 fertilizer crisis, many governments are tempted to impose fertilizer subsidies to reduce fertilizer prices. Yet, in an environment riddled with inefficiencies that contribute to the high costs of using fertilizers, the introduction of subsidies only adds more fiscal burden.To carry out the study, we undertook four country case studies to review the key constraints and bottlenecks along the fertilizer supply chain. The countries were Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal, and the research included field visits in 2009 and 2010. The current paper is based on the country case study results, complemented by a literature review and analysis of secondary data sources.common fertilizer market, fertilizer use and supply, harmonization of products and regulations, improved technology, policy environment, regional market integration, structure and performance of markets, supply chain,

The role of fertilizer in sustaining food security and protecting the environment to 2020.

In this discussion paper ... [the authors] ... review past trends in fertilizer use, estimate future needs, and assess technical and policy measures for dealing with environmental and energy concerns related to fertilizer use--P. v.PRIFPRI1; 2020DG

World trends in fertilizer use and projections to 2020

Fertilizers have played an important role in increased crop production, especially in cereal yields, and will continue to be a cornerstone of the science-based agriculture required to feed the expanding world population. Fertilizers replenish the nutrients removed from soils by harvested crops, encourage adoption of high-yielding varieties, and increase biomass in the nutrient-poor soils of the tropics. Bumb and Baanante trace fertilizer use until the 1990s as well as production and price trends. Finally they propose projected trends in use, requirements, and production. The authors conclude that, overall, a conducive and stable policy environment, including macroeconomic stability, price incentives, credit availability, efficient organizational arrangements, research and extension support, regulatory frameworks, and environmental monitoring, will be essential to promote environmentally friendly growth in fertilizer use and supply to 2020.Non-PRIFPRI1; 2020DG

Policies to promote environmentally sustainable fertilizer use and supply to 2020

In the mid-1960s, when projections of global starvation were common, no one questioned the role of mineral fertilizer (plant nutrients, mainly nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from inorganic sources) in promoting food production in the food-deficit countries. On the contrary, fertilizer use was an integral part of the technological trinity--improved seed, irrigation, and fertilizer--responsible for bringing about the Green Revolution that helped many densely populated countries, including India and China, achieve food self-sufficiency in the short span of 20 to 25 years. In the early 1990s, however, fertilizer became a target of criticism mainly because of heavy use in the developed countries, where it was suspected of having an adverse impact on the environment through nitrate leaching, eutrophication, greenhouse gas emissions, and heavy metal uptakes by plants. Consequently, fertilizer use per se was mistakenly identified as an enemy of the environment. The authors argue that, although fertilizer use can contribute to environmental contamination unless managed properly, it is often an indispensable source of the nutrients required for plant growth and food production. Fertilizer use will remain an essential component of future strategies for ensuring food security and protecting the natural resource base. In fulfilling that role, however, fertilizer use should be approached differently in the future. Emphasis should be on growth with management rather than on growth per se, so that the broader goals of food security, agricultural growth, and environmental protection are not sacrificed.Non-PRIFPRI1; 2020DG

Policies to promote environmentally sustainable fertilizer use and supply to 2020

In the mid-1960s, when projections of global starvation were common, no one questioned the role of mineral fertilizer (plant nutrients, mainly nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from inorganic sources) in promoting food production in the food-deficit countries. On the contrary, fertilizer use was an integral part of the technological trinity improved seed, irrigation, and fertilizer responsible for bringing about the Green Revolution that helped many densely populated countries, including India and China, achieve food self-sufficiency in the short span of 20 to 25 years. In the early 1990s, however, fertilizer became a target of criticism mainly because of heavy use in the developed countries, where it was suspected of having an adverse impact on the environment through nitrate leaching, eutrophication, greenhouse gas emissions, and heavy metal uptakes by plants. Consequently, fertilizer use per se was mistakenly identified as an enemy of the environment. The authors argue that, although fertilizer use can contribute to environmental contamination unless managed properly, it is often an indispensable source of the nutrients required for plant growth and food production. Fertilizer use will remain an essential component of future strategies for ensuring food security and protecting the natural resource base. In fulfilling that role, however, fertilizer use should be approached differently in the future. Emphasis should be on growth with management rather than on growth per se, so that the broader goals of food security, agricultural growth, and environmental protection are not sacrificed.Fertilizers. ,Environmental protection. ,Food security. ,