Fertilizers & Agriculture, February 2014 by International Fertilizer Industry Association

February 2014

fertilizers www.fertilizer.org

Focus on The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand

agriculture Toros' 25 kg bags for women farmers

The Ethiopia Soil Information System

Promoting sustainability and innovation in fertilizer production by Jim Prokopanko

Recognizing the need for industry improvement There is no more room for debate: the world needs to produce more food to nourish its growing population, and it cannot meet this acute need without innovative fertilizers and balanced crop nutrition practices. It is widely recognized that the manufacture of our products involves complex processes. These processes have intrinsic hazards that must be carefully managed. Important improvements in technical knowledge and management systems have greatly helped to reduce potential dangers; however, there is no zero risk in any business and accidents can, and still do, occur.

The starkest recent example was the explosion at the West Fertilizer blending facility in Texas, where 15 people were killed and many more were injured. The effects were felt by the fertilizer value chain around the world. The accident and its aftermath are simply not acceptable, which is why senior managers – whether they work for an IFA member or not – must be held accountable for SHE performance. cont’d on page 2

Update on fertilizer subsidies in Asia by Rakesh Kapur The main findings emerging from the panel discussion on fertilizer subsidies during the IFA Crossroads Asia-Pacific Conference in Bali in December 2014 are summarised below.

Subsidies play an important role in increasing fertilizer use and agricultural productivity • Different countries have different forms of fertilizer subsidies, based on local social, political and economic factors. Developed as well as developing countries provide subsidies to promote and sustain agriculture. • Subsidies have played a vital role in increasing fertilizer use, leading to greater agricultural production in developing countries and helping to

t is my pleasure to address Fertilizers & Agriculture readers as incoming Chairman of the IFA Technical & SHE Committee. I am pleased to take on this role, particularly in times when sustainability issues are such a critical component of our industry’s discussions. This Committee is spearheading the promotion of sustainable fertilizer production globally. At the heart of its strategy is the widespread adoption of safety, health, and environment (SHE) best management practices, and innovation in production technology. These matters are extremely important to the fertilizer industry’s long-term viability and profitability.

ensure food security and nutrition. Enhanced fertilizer use has enabled higher crop production across the globe. cont’d on page 7

cont’d from page 1

Promoting sustainability and innovation in fertilizer production In talking to industry colleagues at IFA’s Enlarged Council Meeting in December I concluded that there is full recognition of these incidents’ extensive impact on our collective business and our ability to succeed in the future. The consequences include serious injury or loss of life, devastating environmental damage, prolonged production disruption, and the loss of customers or suppliers. Excellence in SHE management and governance must be the industry's objective. The benefits are many, including less downtime, higher plant availability, more predictable maintenance budgets, longer life spans for plants and equipment, and significantly improved plant efficiency and flexibility. It is important to note that in most cases, accidents can be avoided if best management practices are in place.

Strengthening our industry through sustainability and innovation This year, the IFA Technical & SHE Committee is working to increase our industry’s sustainability and innovation in fertilizer production.

Protect & Sustain Since 2011, the Committee has initiated this global product stewardship programme. With each year the initiative gains momentum and visibility, as more IFA producer members experience the benefits of participation. In short, Protect & Sustain provides advice, guidance and structure for approaching product stewardship in the fertilizer industry. Protect & Sustain is not about forcing a new standard or regulation on the industry. Rather it provides the catalyst for change through a framework for improving safety, security and sustainability inside the “factory gate.” It also helps establish strategies that encourage business partners to do the same “outside the factory gate” and across the fertilizer value chain. I request all producer members to parti cipate in Protect & Sustain, and become

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certified by IFA under this de facto globData driven progress al fertilizer standard. You will notice, You cannot improve what you cannot through the programme’s assessment measure. That is why we continue to module, that your company will quickly develop global industry benchmarks. be able to identify its current status relaA new benchmark, involving the Comtive to other SHE leaders, easily implemittee’s international partnership with ment improvements to procedures, and the US-based National Safety Council, demonstrate your commitment to the measures Employee Safety Perceptions. rest of the industry and to stakeholders. A pilot survey conducted in 2013 took My company, The Mosaic Company, was stock of global fertilizer producers’ pracjust recently certified under Protect & tices. The resulting indicators showed Sustain. participating companies that there is alChange must come from the top, which ways room for improvement. The survey is why I am making an appeal to all feris now available to every IFA member in tilizer producer CEOs and senior execu20 languages. tives to achieve certification. The first This survey fits nicely with the 10th edistep is to contact the IFA Secretariat tion of IFA’s Employee Safety Benchand to set up an online account on promark, which is the industry standard for tectandsustain.org. You will see that the Lost-Time Injuries and Total Recordable evaluation tool is easy to use and that Injuries measurement. This yearly survey most – if not all – questions reflect comhelps our members to rate their performon sense operations today. mance against the best in the industry. And for those producers As with Protect & Suswho wish to participate The cost of inaction tain, I will attest that in IFA’s biennial Green could be drastic to indiThe Mosaic Company Leaf Award for SHE exvidual producers and to has used this survey and cellence, this is a way to has found it to complethe industry, as avoidable ment the already extenscore a significant number of extra points to- accidents affect capital sive SHE efforts we had costs, income, insurance in place. wards your victory. costs, investment confi- Finally, this year also Growth through marks the appearance dence and shareholder innovation of the 7th Global Envivalue...  The Committee’s acronmental Performance tions do not stop with Benchmark. This survey championing product stewardship. As has evolved into the yardstick for gaugpreviously mentioned, the focus is on ing environmental performance, thus increasing technology and process innoestablishing key performance indicators vation. We are working closely with IFA’s for some 50 emissions across the major Innovation and Research working group fertilizer areas. to encourage more investment in this area. Our Global Technical Symposium Act now to help our industry in Amsterdam (1-3 April) will be entirely be its best devoted to fertilizer innovation, both in We have seen that there are indeed production and beyond (see page 3). some inherent risks to manufacturing

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February 2014

The cost of inaction could be drastic to individual producers and to the industry, as avoidable accidents affect capital costs, income, insurance costs, investment confidence and shareholder value – as well as the “fertilizer brand”. On the other hand, doing it right from the start pays large dividends over the long term. I wish you all a healthy, happy and prosperous 2014!

IFA news Haber-Bosch: The discovery that changed the world During the IFA Council Meeting in December in Paris, Thomas Hager presented a commemorative lecture on the 100th year anniversary of the commercialization of Haber-Bosch process.

Jim Prokopanko is Chairman of IFA Committee's Strategic Advisory Team (SAT) and President & CEO, The Mosaic Company, USA

More information

fertilizers, but through commitment and focus companies can implement SHE best practices and product stewardship to greatly reduce these hazards. Central to achieving excellence is the involvement of senior management, beginning with the CEO.

 IFA Global Technical Symposium http://ifa-amsterdam2014.org  IFA Protect and Sustain web site www.protectandsustain.org  IFA Green Leaf Award for SHE www.fertilizer.org/ifa/HomePage/ INITIATIVES/IFA-SHE-Award

View the video at www.youtube.com/wa tch?v=zysSnH7GZCE&feature=youtu.be

IFA’s Technical Committee expands its name to Technical & SHE Committee To acknowledge that safety, health, and environment (SHE) have become a substantial part of the IFA Technical Committee’s action plan in recent years, its name has expanded to IFA Technical & SHE Committee in 2014. The initiatives and team behind this new organization title, however, remain the same.

Food & Farming in 2030 Farming First released its new infographic which looks at agriculture’s role in the post-2015 development agenda and the establishment of a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Fertilizer technology perspectives: Innovation at the horizon The Global Technical Symposium takes place every two years at the beginning of April and is for IFA members only. This time it is organized by the Technical & SHE Committee in partnership with IFA’s working group on Innovation & Research. Approximately 150 technology leaders from around 50 countries will meet in Europe’s perhaps most vibrant city center to discuss the topic of innovation in fertilizers. Best practices will be shared on new production processes and more efficient utilization. Side events will include an open meeting of IFA’s working group on NORM in Phosphogypsum. And on Day 3, participants are invited to attend a technical site visit. You may choose between Yara’s nitrogen production facility in Sluiskil to discover its innovative WarmCo²(Green Security) project and the PK/NPK production facility of ICL Fertilizers Europe in Amsterdam. Early Bird Registration Deadline (including event hotel rooms at negotiated prices) is 28 February.

For more information and the preliminary programme, please visit: www.ifa-amsterdam2014.org

The infographic puts a creative spin on the post-2015 agenda by fast-forwarding to the year 2030 when the SDGs are expected to expire in order to ask the question, “Are we taking the necessary steps NOW to deal with these 2030 expectations". On launch day, the infographic was re-tweeted over 700 times and attracted the greatest single number of visitors on the Farming First website. www.farmingfirst.org/Post2015

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THE FERTILISER ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND

Responding to the challenges of growing agriculture responsibly by Philip Mladenov ounded over 60 years ago, the Fertiliser Association of New Zealand (FANZ) is the industry organisation representing New Zealand’s two main fertilizer companies, Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Ravensdown Fertiliser Co-operative. These companies manufacture, distribute and market 98 percent of all fertilizers sold in New Zealand. Both are farmer-owned cooperatives, and together they have over 45,000 farmer shareholders. In support of industry common good, FANZ funds research, develops training programmes, participates in government and local body working groups, and works closely with other organizations in the agricultural sector to promote responsible nutrient management. The agriculture industry is at the core of New Zealand’s economy. One of the New Zealand government’s economic growth priorities is to double the value of agricultural exports by 2025, but to do so within environmental limits. This includes appropriate management of diffuse losses of nitrogen and phosphorus from farms in order to maintain and

Rural New Zealand landscape improve freshwater quality. In support of the growth of agricultural production within environmental limits, FANZ seeks to ensure that good nutrient science informs regulation. It assists central and regional government authorities to deliver nutrient management programmes and initiatives which meet their environmental objectives. As part of this programme, FANZ is developing a comprehensive, best-practice system for managing the use of agricultural nutrients to help farmers grow their businesses sustainably. The approach is effects-based, with an emphasis on managing nutrient losses as opposed to simply controlling inputs. This provides for flexibility and innovation, which allows for continued growth of the primary production sector. FANZ and its members are investing in five key areas in support of best practice nutrient management:

Decision support tools A key component of our effects-based nutrient stewardship system is a world class nutrient management decision support tool – the OVERSEER® nutrient budgets model – that models nutrient New Zealand sheep farming

inputs, cycling and losses for a range of farming systems across New Zealand (www.overseer.org.nz). The development of this tool has been supported over the last 20 years through a partnership between the fertilizer industry, the government (through its Ministry for Primary Industries) and AgResearch, one of New Zealand’s leading agricultural research organisations.

Training and certification Another key component of our nutrient stewardship system is the development of human capacity in the form of highly trained and qualified nutrient management advisers. FANZ has invested in the development of postgraduate courses in sustainable nutrient management. More recently, it has worked with the New Zealand dairy industry to develop a certification programme for nutrient management advisers. This programme was formally launched at the end of 2013 (www.nmacertification.org.nz/site/ nutrient_management).

Codes of practice FANZ has developed a Code of Practice for Nutrient Management with a tem-

February 2014

IFA news Feeding The World 2014 Sustainable solutions for a global crisis IFA President, Ms Esin Mete and IFA's Chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Jorgen Haslestadt, will be speaking at The Economist "Feeding the World" conference on 13 February in London www.economistinsights.com/ sustainability-resources/event/feedingworld-2014/programme

Spray irrigation on a dairy pasture plate for nutrient management plans and documentation of good management practices. FANZ supports the Spreadmark Codes of Practice, which ensure accurate placement of fertilizers on the ground and by air to maximize agricultural benefits and minimize environmental harm. In addition, the Fertmark Code of Practice provides assurance that the fertilizers supplied by registered companies are reliable and meet specified chemical standards (www.fertqual.co.nz).

IFA team at the UN in New York

Research and technology transfer FANZ and its member companies support and carry out a broad range of innovative research and technology transfer programmes promoting the sustainable use of nutrients. The overall aim of this research is to substantially improve nutrient use efficiency and reduce nutrient losses in a range of farming systems.

Recognizing and rewarding good practice Finally, the New Zealand fertilizer industry supports innovative farmers by sponsoring a range of environmental awards. The key objective of these awards is to show that profitable farming need not compromise environmental values. Indeed, innovative farmers have shown that the environment can be both restored and enhanced under profitable farming systems. The ultimate goal of FANZ’s on-going nutrient stewardship initiatives is to develop an internationally recognized nutrient management assurance system that delivers on the government’s objective to expand the agricultural sector; supports responsible intensification of farming; and helps New Zealand farm-

New Zealand arable and dairy farming ers produce premium agricultural products with some of the highest nutrient conversion efficiencies and lowest nutrient footprints in the world.

Contact

Dr Philip Mladenov Chief Executive The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand Incorporated philip.mladenov@fertiliser.org.nz www.fertiliser.org.nz

A 16-person delegation (Fertecon, GPIC, IFDC, IRM, Mosaic, OCP, Stamicarbon, Toros Agri, Yara) attended the negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals in New York on 25 to 27 November led by Esin Mete, IFA President and Abdul Rahman Jawahery, IFA’s Vice-President for Sustainable Development. In addition, the team held over ten bilateral meetings with country missions as well as key UN staff involved in the process. The team also joined the newly formed Global Business Alliance, charged with coordinating business messages in the post-2015 agenda. The IFA team advocated for a stand alone goal for eradicating hunger and malnutrition and highlighted the key role of fertilizers at the nexus of food, nutrition, human health and economic development. The team also attended the Farming First side-event on the same topic where IFA's President was the keynote speaker. www.fertilizer.org/ifa/HomePage/SUSTAINABILITY/IFA-UN-Tour-Nov.-2013

6 fertilizers & agriculture Farmer outreach This article is the second in the series of “innovative ideas on effective last-mile delivery” undertaken by IFA members.

Toros’ 25 kg bags lighten the burden of women farmers in Turkey

by Beril Yalçin

Women farmers working in the field. lems addressed, but the everyday lives of women farmers were improved. This initiative has been such a success that the change is reflected in sales in the region. The 25 kg bags are sold throughout the Black Sea region, affecting all women farmers working in fields where tea plants and hazelnut trees are grown. The change has been in effect since 2010. The 25 kg bags are still very much in demand, and both customers and producers are content. Social responsibility and sales objectives alike have been met by this project.

n the Black Sea region, where tea plants are grown, the majority of agricultural workers are women. Tea plants are cultivated on the steep slopes of hills, up which it is very difficult to carry heavy items such as fertilizer bags. At one time, all Toros fertilizers were delivered in 50 kg bags across Turkey. A solution was therefore needed for women who work in this rough terrain. In 2010, Toros took the initiative to design a system for delivering CAN (calcium ammonium nitrate) and the most commonly used compound fertilizer (25.5.10), especially formulated for tea plants, in 25 kg bags. The aim of this project was to help women farmers by lightening their load. This change was not easy to implement. Everything from the design of the bag to the bag production line, as well as loading/unloading mechanisms, needed to be changed. While that represented a significant invesment, the benefits and

Contact

the women’s reaction were worth it. The women were happy that their complaints had been heard. The Toros initiative had a direct influence on farmers’ working conditions. Not only were health prob-

Beril Yalçın HSE Chief Social Responsibility Chief Toros Tarım Sanayi ve Ticaret AS Istanbul, Turkey beril.yalcin@toros.com.tr www.toros.com.tr

February 2014

2013 IFA CROSSROADS ASIA-PACIFIC CONFERENCE, BALI, INDONESIA cont’d from page 1

Update on fertilizer subsidies in Asia

• Fertilizer subsidies account for a significant share of total support to agriculture. They have increased considerably in the last seven to eight years, mainly due to steep increases in international prices of fertilizers and feedstocks/raw materials, increased consumption, and lower/unchanged farm gate prices. • Subsidies are progressively becoming less relevant and creating heavy fiscal

Reducing the fiscal burden

burdens. The sustainability of fertilizer subsidies is becoming a major issue. Providing fertilizer subsidies at manageable levels is very important for fiscal budgets. Financial crises in certain countries have resulted in some curtailment of subsidies.

Fertilizer pricing policies and the extent of subsidization in large consumer countries can significantly impact world trade in fertilizer Fertilizer subsidies can lead to imbalanced nutrient management • Overuse of cheaper subsidized fertilizers has contributed to imbalanced and inefficient fertilization. Lowering of the water table, deterioration of soil conditions and negative fertilizer response ratios are some of the adverse consequences of such overuse. • Fertilizer pricing policies need to be rationalized. Experience with the nutrient-based subsidy scheme for P and K fertilizers (in India) is relevant. Deregulating the retail prices of only some fertilizers could create more aberrations/distortions, as experienced in India (P and K vs. urea). Price distortions have resulted in unbalanced use of urea vs. P and K fertilizers in India.

• Deregulation of fertilizer prices and decontrol of the sector have enabled increased domestic fertilizer production and availability, higher crop production as a result of enhanced/balanced fertilizer use, reduction of the subsidy burden, and an increase in fertilizer prices. However, there is greater imbalance of fertilizer use in cases of partial decontrol. • The retail price increase for fertilizers in recent years has been lower than for other commodities. Lower farm gate retail prices have kept farmers isolated from market price realities. Fertilizer prices should be adjusted in line with inflation to contain subsidy levels. • Also to contain subsidy levels, avoidable taxes/duties such as the VAT should be eliminated. • Increased domestic fertilizer production, with energy and other inputs supplied at reasonable costs, has enabled countries to contain their subsidy bills. However, fertilizer subsidies through prioritization and price subsidization in the supply of feedstocks (such as natural gas) cont’d on page 8

Fertilizer subsidies present a significant challenge for developing countries’ budgets

Considerations on reforming subsidies

• Developing countries are faced with the constraint of fragmented land holdings. Many farmers in these countries produce no or a very limited marketable surplus of agricultural produce. Small and marginal farmers have therefore benefitted considerably from fertilizer subsidies, resulting in the affordability and efficient use of land and labour. Regional subsidies that encourage land consolidation are also being offered (e.g. in China). • Low-input/low-output prices in agriculture are preferable to protect low-income populations. High-input/ high-output prices may be greater than small and marginal farmers and poorer consumers of food grains are able to pay. • In order to keep fertilizer prices affordable, subsidies are also being given for feedstocks and inputs (natural gas/power) as well as for cost components in the value chain such as rail transport and storage. Transport subsidies are particularly relevant in land-locked and remote areas. Other forms of subsidies include those for interest on loans for buffer stocking of fertilizers during the off season, and special subsidies for foliar application of fertilizer on winter wheat in a later growth stage to increase yield (e.g. in China). • The removal of fertilizer subsidies may make farming unprofitable. Any drastic or sudden reduction has serious implications.

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cont’d from page 7

are becoming increasingly difficult. There are growing pressures from other sectors to obtain natural gas with priority over the fertilizer sector. Countries have started to impose restrictions on the allocation of additional natural gas for increased fertilizer production, including on its concessional price.

Promoting balanced nutrient management • Fertilizer subsidization policy should promote balanced fertilizer use and enhance fertilizer use efficiency through an Integrated Nutrient Management system. • Instead of spending increasing government funds on fertilizer subsidies, these funds should be used for farmers’ education and to provide them with the means to carry out efficient agricultural production. • Fertilizer distribution and crop marketing systems should be made more efficient and cost-effective.

fertilizer capacities and for project costs; allowing only specific fertilizer grades to be produced; allocation and pricing of feedstocks; particular methods of recognizing costs for quantification of subsidies: curtailment of subsidy budgets by reducing industry margins; and fertilizer supply and distribution controls, restrictions on fertilizer import/exports, etc. • Direct subsidies to farmers is a better concept. These subsidies can make it possible to move towards targeted subsidization. Fertilizer subsidies are also routed through retailers in some countries. • The fertilizer industry in developing countries needs to earn a reasonable profit. Revamping old/ageing plants requires constant investment to maintain production levels efficiently. Much-needed fresh investment to ramp up production capacity can be attracted, provided a reasonable return on investment is ensured. Subsidy policies should provide for rational

Other considerations • Differential pricing of fertilizers based on crops (food vs. cash crops) was tried and given up due to leakage from low- to high-value crops (Philippines). • Organic manure is unlikely to be substituted for chemical fertilizers in the near future. However, it will increasingly continue to supplement chemical fertilizers. A sustainable subsidies policy is essential to foster growth so as to meet growing fertilizer demand.

The way forward

Channeling subsidies effectively • Where the fertilizer industry has been obliged to act as a conduit for disbursement of fertilizer subsidies to farmers, a negative public perception of the industry has been created which needs to be corrected. The fertilizer industry should not be perceived as an inefficient industry in need of financial support through subsidies from governments. • The ease with which a fertilizer policy is administered is important, both for efficiency and to protect farmer’s interests. The growth of the fertilizer sector has been constrained in certain countries by highly intrusive subsidy policies, such as the requirement to seek government approval to add

and realistic recognition of input and conversion costs while quantifying fertilizer subsidies or fixing farmers’ retail prices. • Large fertilizer producers want subsidies to be removed or to be paid directly to eligible farmers, instead of being routed through manufacturers. • Ultimately, the fertilizer sector needs to be decontrolled and farmers should move gradually towards market-driven prices. Of course, the affordability of farm gate prices for the farmer cannot be ignored. • Government funding is needed to improve infrastructure and logistics in order to reduce costs. Such funding can help keep fertilizer prices at more affordable levels (e.g. through port infrastructure to avoid vessel delays/demurrage, facilities to handle Panamax vessels so as to reduce ocean transport costs, and rail links).

• IFA may wish to undertake an indepth study of selected key countries in order to capture and analyze their experiences with fertilizer (and food) subsidies in the past two decades. How have subsidy policies impacted nutrient management? What have the impacts of such subsidies been on government budgets, farmers, and growth of the industry? • Analyses of different policies may enable IFA to suggest certain formulations for policy reforms, in the context of optimizing the benefits of subsidies. Rakesh Kapur is IFA Vice-President for South Asia and Jt. Managing Director, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd, New Delhi, India.

February 2014

Ammonium nitrate safety IFA news and regulation in the USA BRIDGING THOUGHTS

Joint Communications / Agriculture / Innovation & Research Meeting

28 - 30 January 2014, Paris, France

n the United States, the tragic explosion at a fertilizer retailer in West, Texas has brought issues related to ammonium nitrate fertilizer regulation and emergency response into the spotlight. Ammonium nitrate is a strong oxidizing agent. It can cause combustible materials such as wood, paper and oil to ignite, and it can explode under extreme pressure in confined spaces. US Fertilizer retailers are regulated by state and federal agencies to ensure that ammonium nitrate is produced, handled, stored and transported safely and securely. Federal agencies and regulations include: • Department of Transportation (DOT) – Regulations pertaining to ammonium nitrate in transport are carried out by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration; • United States Coast Guard – Regulates waterfront facilities handling ammonium nitrate through the Maritime Transportation Security Act; • Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – Regulates ammonium nitrate fertilizer as a chemical of interest under the Chemical Facility Anti-terrorism Standards; • Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – Storage regulations for ammonium nitrate require emergency response plans, emergency response training, and compliance with the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard; • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Requires facilities storing ammonium nitrate to submit Material Safety Data Sheets to state and local emergency response agencies. The following firefighting guidelines and procedures have been outlined by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). They are to be followed by fertilizer retailers and emergency responders if fire breaks out in an area where ammonium nitrate is stored: • When fire breaks out – If possible, keep the ammonium

by Kathy Mathers

nitrate mass cool by applying large volumes of water and contact emergency responders. If the fire cannot be drowned out, cease applying water, evacuate the area, retreat to a safe location, and wait for emergency responders to arrive. • Provide ample ventilation to the fire area – Rapid dissipation of both the products of decomposition and the heat of reaction is vital. • Approach fire from upwind – Vapours from burning ammonium nitrate are very toxic; self-contained breathing apparatus of types approved by the United States Bureau of Mines should be used to protect personnel against gases. • Steps to be taken after fire is extinguished – Loose, contaminated and unsalvageable ammonium nitrate should be buried or dumped in water where permissible; – Residue that cannot be removed by sweeping should be washed away with a hose; – Remove wet, empty bags, let dry, and burn outdoors.

Contact Kathy Mathers The Fertilizer Institute, TFI Washington, DC kmathers@tfi.org www.tfi.org

IFA convened this joint meeting as a further step to strengthen the collaboration between communicators, agronomists and innovators. There was considerable synergy between the more technical and agronomically focused work programme of the Agriculture Committee and the communications and policy advocacy expertise of the Communicators Network, in particular when it came to the priority area of nutrient management. http://ifa-comag2014.org

IFA launched its new pinterest account to strengthen its presence in social media. www.pinterest.com/fertiliser/

Global fertilizer trade map 2014 The updated 2014 fertilizer map produced by ICIS and IFA is now available. The maps shows: • 2011/12 fertilizer trade flows above the threshold of 300,000 product tonnes • World major producing countries of fertilizers and raw materials 2012 • Fertilizer consumption from the main consuming countries: 2012/11 to 2017/18 • Historical trends in prices for ammonia, DAP, potash (MOP), urea, sulphur, sulphuric acid and gas. View an interactive map at: www.icis. com/pages/custom-publishing/globalfertilizer-trade-map/ IFA members can also order a copy at publications@fertilizer.org and nonmembers contact www.icis.com/fertilizers/

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The Ethiopia Soil Information System by Mark Walsh

he Ethiopia Soil Information System (EthioSIS) is an initiative led by the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture and the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA). Important data gaps are being filled through the rapid development of this countrywide system. In 2010, the government of Ethiopia released a National Growth and Transformation Plan to provide a strategic framework for developing its agricultural sector. The overall target of this plan is annual agricultural growth of at least 8.1 percent, with an increase of Ethiopian Birr 2200 (~US$ 115) in the value of marketed agricultural projects per smallholder household in 153 Woredas (districts). Other key targets include more than doubling production of cereal crops (from 18.1 to 39.5 million metric tonnes) and tripling the number of farmers receiving relevant agricultural extension services. Such efforts in many countries – and related decisions about land management – are typically not supported by systematic natural resource information. For example, fertilizer recommendations are often not adjusted to local environmental and economic conditions, resulting in “blanket recommendations” for an entire country. In Ethiopia, as part of the EthioSIS ini-

tiative, soil scientists and global information system (GIS) specialists at the Ministry of Agriculture and the ATA are working with researchers from the Earth Institute of Columbia University (New York) to develop a first round of digital soil fertility maps which are among the most detailed such maps available anywhere in the world. The maps (technically, “spatial predictions”) are derived from satellite imagery and laboratory analyses of thousands of new georeferenced soil samples. They show predicted amounts of essential soil nutrients needed for plant growth and productivity, as well as associated uncertainty in areas where ground samples are unavailable. Information about the relative availability of essential macro and micro soil nutrients was brought together to identify eight "Soil Nutrient Management Areas" (SNMA's) (Figure 1). The SNMA's were defined based on distinctive, archetypal compositions of essential soil nutrients: N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, B, Cu and Zn (Figure 2). The information in these maps is expected to contribute to appropriate efforts to restore and improve soil fertility, evaluate needed fertilizer amounts, and adjust fertilizer blends to help meet the government's agricultural sector development and poverty reduction targets. By basing efforts to improve soil fertility on systematic ground measurements and mapped evidence, the Ministry of Agriculture can efficiently identify, target and test for key problems that are being overlooked. For example, previously undescribed sulphur and micronutrient deficiencies (which appear to be prevalent throughout the country) can be targeted and tested with management reFigure 1. Soil Nutrient Management Areas sponse trials. (SNMA’s) of Ethiopia The new countrywide soil samEach colour represents a distinct soil nutrient manage- ple, together with new laboment area, based on analysis of current remote sensing ratory and spatial predictions, imagery and thousands of new ground samples collected throughout Ethiopia. These areas contain different pro- will provide Ethiopians with an portions and amounts of essential soil nutrients needed overview of where various soil for plant growth.

Figure 2. Current topsoil nutrient predictions for Ethiopia Examples of predicted concentration patterns of essential topsoil nutrients for plant growth and productivity. Red areas indicate nutrient deficiencies. Green areas indicate adequate nutrient amounts. White areas have no vegetation cover and are not predicted.

nutrient deficiencies and imbalances for crop production are likely to occur throughout the country, as well as in specific Woredas. The data and computer code for generating the maps will be made freely and publicly available in the near future at www.africasoils.net, pending IP and content licensing agreements with the Ethiopian government.

Contact Mark Walsh AFSIS project leader markusgwalsh@gmail.com Sources: Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture and ATA, EthioSIS, Africa Soil Information Service (AfSIS) (www.africasoils.net), and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) (www.ciesin.org). EthioSIS is supported by the AFSIS, a project led by the Columbia Global Center (CGC) in Nairobi, Kenya (http://globalcenters.columbia.edu/nairobi).

February 2014

Year of Agriculture and Food Security Whereas progress has been made over the past ten years in many African countries, investments in the agriculture sector have been insufficient and African agriculture plans remain only partly funded. The African Union (AU) declared 2014 the Year of Agriculture and Food Security in order to encourage governments and donors to develop new policies, reinvest in agriculture, finance the development of rural infrastructures, improve markets access and support research and new technologies. The objective of the AU is also to highlight strategy implementation and measure progress made at national and regional level. Increasing agricultural productivity leads to economic growth, increases food and nutrition security and reduces rural poverty. More information at www.au.int/en/ See also: www.nepad.org/foodsecurity

2014 is the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF). There are over 500 million family farms in the world which range from smallholders and medium scale farmers to peasants, indigenous peoples, traditional communities, fisherfolk, pastoralists.... Over 70 percent of the food insecure population lives in rural areas of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Near East. Many of them are family farmers, especially smallholders, with poor access to natural resources, policies and technologies. The objective of the IYFF is to focus on the role of family farming in eradicating hunger and poverty; providing food security and nutrition; improving liveli-

hoods; managing natural resources; protecting the environment; and achieving sustainable development, particularly in rural areas. The goal of the campain is to re-position family farming at the centre of agricultural, environmental and social policies in national agendas by identifying gaps and opportunities to promote a shift towards more equal and balanced development. IYFF will promote broad discussion and cooperation at the national, regional and global levels to increase awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by smallholders and help identify efficient ways to support family farmers. More information: www.fao.org/family-farming-2014/en/

IFA events IFA Global Technical Symposium* 1 – 3 April 2014 Amsterdam, Netherlands Technology leaders from around the world will meet to discuss the topic of innovation in fertilizers. Best practices will be shared on new production processes, more efficient utilization, etc. Side events will include an open meeting of IFA’s Working Group on NORM in phosphogypsum.

IFA Annual Conference* 26 – 28 May 2014 Sydney, Australia IFA’s main event attracts on average 1400 participants representing 400 member companies from 75 countries. It has become a major meeting platform for the global fertilizer industry and is on the agenda of its chief executives and senior management representatives.

PIT Production and International Trade Conference* 28 – 30 September 2014 Beijing, China PR This event offers an excellent opportunity to interact with senior executives from major international fertilizer producers and trading companies. A special emphasis will be placed on supply-related issues. This conference is designed by the IFA Production and International Trade Committee for all IFA members.

IFA Crossroads Asia-Pacific 2014 28 – 30 October 2014 Singapore Focusing on the pivotal Asian region and Pacific basin, IFA Crossroads Asia-Pacific attracts some 300 participants in attendance. This event is organized under the guidance of the Regional Vice Presidents for all IFA members with an interest in Asia and the Pacific as well as newcomers acquainting themselves with the Association in view of potential membership.

Restricted to IFA member companies

More information on upcoming events: www.fertilizer.org/ifa/Home-Page/EVENT

12  fertilizers && agriculture agriculture 12 fertilizers

IFA PUBLICATIONS Reprints Fertilizing Crops to Improve Human Health: A Scientific Review T.W. Bruulsema, P. Heffer, M.R. Welch, I. Cakmak, K. Moran. IPNI, IFA, 290 pp.

Slow- and Controlled Release and Stabilized Fertilizers: An Option for Enhancing Nutrient Use Efficiency in Agriculture M.E. Trenkel. IFA, 2 edition, Paris, France, October 2010. 160 pp. nd

Fertigation. A Tool for Efficient Fertilizer and Water Management U. Kafkafi, J. Tarchitzky. IFA, 1st edition, Paris, France, April 2011. 140 pp.

To order copies, contact: publications@fertilizer.org or consult: www.fertilizer.org/ifa/HomePage/LIBRARY/Our-selection2/Fertilizer-use.html

Market outlook reports The Production and International Trade and the Agriculture Services of IFA released their respective shortterm market outlook reports in December, in addition to their joint summary report. The market outlooks were presented on 5 December at the IFA Enlarged Council meeting in Paris. The key findings pointed to a recovery in fertilizer demand in 2014/15, following a pause in 2012/13. Total fertilizer demand is forecast to rise in all the regions but North America and Western and Central Europe. Fertilizer consumption would rebound in South Asia and Oceania, and expand in all the other regions. In terms of supply, the international market was adequately supplied in 2013, with supply covered from production tonnage and important stock carry-overs in a few large consuming countries. However, fertilizer supply was impacted by a shortfall in the supply of natural gas and by trade measures. Global sales in 2014 would show a worldwide recovery in fertilizer demand and imports, with a 2.3 percent expansion over 2013. The summary report is available to the public whereas the detailed reports are restricted to IFA members. All reports are available at www.fertilizer.org/ifa/HomePage/FERTILIZERS-THE-INDUSTRY/Market-outlooks.html

International Fertilizer Industry Association 28, rue Marbeuf, 75008 Paris, France Tel: +33 1 53 93 05 00 Fax: +33 1 53 93 05 45/47 ifa@fertilizer.org www.fertilizer.org @FertilizerNews! Fertilizers & Agriculture is a quarterly newsletter published by IFA covering issues in relation to fertilizers and sustainable agriculture. Mailing list Subscription to Fertilizers & Agriculture is free of charge. To receive a hard copy, send full address details to be added to the mailing list. Additional copies may be supplied to organizations to circulate on behalf of IFA. To consult current and past issues of Fertilizers & Agriculture: www.fertilizer.org/ifa/HomePage/ LIBRARY/Our-selection2/Fertilizers-Agriculture Contributions We invite your contributions of letters, documents, articles, photographs, etc. Director General of IFA: Charlotte Hebebrand Editor-in-Chief: Claudine Aholou Material in F&A may be reproduced only after prior consent by IFA. Reference to individuals, publications, research, products, companies or organizations does not indicate endorsement by IFA. For information on IFA’s activities:www.fertilizer.org © International Fertilizer Industry Association 2014 Printed with vegetable-based ink by Point44 on paper from sustainably managed forests.