(Updated: 8 March 2010)
Feeding the Earth represents an issue briefs series produced by the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) to provide current information on the role of fertilizers in sustainable agriculture and food security. Its aims at showcasing global topics of importance for the fertilizer industry, in particular those that are discussed in the international policy arena. This publication is geared towards IFA members and the general public.
Micronutrients for macro ImpactsFighting Malnutrition through Micronutrient Fertilization
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Billions of people, mostly in developing countries, suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, sometimes called “hidden hunger”. The micronutrients most commonly associated with human health problems on a global scale include iron, zinc and iodine, but selenium and fluorine deficiencies are also widespread. In contrast to food security, nutrition security has traditionally been viewed as being within the realm of health professionals. Yet the entire agri-food chain has a vital role to play in addressing this problem. Producing more nutritious food and feed, or “farming for health”, should therefore be a central objective. This means increasing micronutrient content through fertilization, which holds out the promise of fighting deficiencies in soils, plants, animals and people.
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Optimizing Reactive Nitrogen Use for Sustainable Agriculture
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The dietary needs and changing preferences of a growing population are increasing demands on global agriculture. Because the area for agriculture is limited, yields must rise on land that is already cultivated. This will require both greater amounts of crop nutrients and more efficient use of them, including nitrogen fertilizers. In the short term, wider dissemination of best management practices is needed in order to achieve greater output without increasing unwanted environmental impacts related to nitrogen lost from agriculture. In the longer term, additional research is needed to develop innovative means to meet conflicting demands for ever greater agricultural outputs and ever fewer unwanted impacts. Because of its role as the primary supplier of nitrogen and other crop nutrients, the fertilizer industry is at the centre of these efforts.
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Energy Efficiency and CO2 Emissions in Ammonia Production
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Farmers worldwide use nitrogen fertilizers to manage the fertility of their soils and provide nutrients for their crops to grow. Nitrogen fertilizers contribute to producing close to 50% of the food grown worldwide. However, their production is energy-intensive due to the ammonia synthesis from which 99 per cent of all nitrogen fertilizers are derived. Some 94% of the energy consumed by the fertilizer industry is used for ammonia synthesis and fertilizer producti on consumes 1.2% of the world’s total energy on an annual basis. It is also one of the industry’s main sources of GHG emissions. Fertilizer manufacturers are, therefore, encouraged to adopt Best Practice Technologies (BPTs), which can allow gains of up to 30% in energy efficiency. IFA conducts energy efficiency surveys and benchmarkings to monitor such progress and promote best practices.
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The Role of Fertilizers in Agricultural Mitigation StrategiesHow to Improve Greenhouse Gas Budgets Through Good Agricultural Practices
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Contrary to other sectors, agriculture is not only an emitt er of greenhouse gases (GHG) but also a carbon sink. To grow more food with less impact on the climate, it is necessary to increase productivity while reducing agricultural GHG emissions. Managing plant nutrients more effectively is one of the solutions to manage such trade-offs. The fertilizer industry has an important role to play, in particular in the promotion of Fertilizer Best Management Practices and Integrated Soil Fertility Management. These best practices result in increased nutrient use efficiency while reducing emissions and maintaining soil fertility and yield increases, as demonstrated in a number of countries. Further research is, however, needed to address research gaps in GHG agricultural budgets, document comparisons between different cropping systems and across regions and devise new adaptati on and mitigation strategies for climate-friendly agricultural production systems worldwide.
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Fertilizers and Climate Change. Enhancing Agricultural Productivity and Reducing Emissions
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The primary objective of agriculture is to feed the world. It has been estimated that almost half the people on the Earth (around 48%) are currently fed as a result of manufactured nitrogen fertilizer use (Erisman et al. 2008). Yet the share of total global GHG emissions directly related to the production, distribution and use of fertilizers is between 2 and 3%. As the population continues to grow and agricultural production strives to meet food demand worldwide, fertilizer use will increase before eventually reaching a plateau towards the middle of the century. The significant risks and opportunities that climate change presents for agriculture, food supplies and the global fertilizer industry create an imperative for the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) and its member companies to contribute to mitigation and adaptation in the context of achieving a more sustainable path to global food security.
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Food Prices and Fertilizer Markets
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Factors influencing the variations in fertilizer market conditions Recent concerns over the adequacy of global food supplies and consumers’ food costs have spawned an interest in better understanding the role of fertilizers in agricultural and food production. This overview is meant to provide a short introduction to major aspects of fertilizer market dynamics and an analysis of the factors that drive the trends in fertilizer market conditions.
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