Case studies on policies and strategies for sustainable soil fertility and fertilizer management in South Asia

RAP PUBLICATION 2011/09

Case studies on policies and strategies for sustainable soil fertility and fertilizer management in South Asia

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Bangkok 2011

ABSTRACT

According to FAO�s latest estimates, global food production needs to increase by 70 percent by 2050 to feed an additional 2.3 billion people. Projections indicate that about 80 percent of the gains in production will need to come from increased yield growth and cropping intensity on existing farmlands. Nutrient depletion of soils is a key constraint to boosting the productivity of small and marginal farmers in Asia and the Pacific, who are among the most food-insecure. Efficient fertilizer use is vital to reversing this trend. Most soil fertility depletion is caused when disposable household income is too low for farmers to advance from low-input/low-output farming, resulting in nutrient mining. Serious efforts are required at national and regional levels to develop appropriate policies, technologies and capacities to address this challenge. Policies must ensure that soil fertility is not depleted in low-input systems while also helping to curb overuse of fertilizers that, in some cases, leads to serious damage to ecosystems. As part of FAO�s mandate to develop a knowledge base in support of food security and rural livelihoods, the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific commissioned national studies on fertilizer use in South Asia, which has the largest incidence of food insecurity in the region. The studies aim to identify gaps in prevailing strategies and policies, and make recommendations for improvement. This book contains four case studies from Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and a chapter on guidelines for fertilizer demand assessment and forecasting.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations and acronyms
Background and regional context
Bangladesh
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Guidelines for fertilizer demand assessment/forecasting

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The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of FAO.

ISBN 978-92-5-106914-1

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For copies write to:	Yuji Niino
	Land Management Officer
	FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
	Maliwan Mansion, 39 Phra Atit Road
	Bangkok 10200, Thailand
	Tel: (+66) 2 697 4000
	Fax: (+66) 2 697 4445
	E-mail: [email protected]