Foro Global sobre Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (Foro FSN)

On the objectives:- 

1. As there is always heterogeneous factors that can affect production and productivity it will be advisable to target:-

• Increasing food production and productivity than maintaining

2. For the second objective only maximizing or efficient use of external plant nutrients cannot sustain agricultural production and productivity so:-

• It will be rational to increase fertility of the soils or the farm or alarming increase of soil health with organic composition of nutrients can sustain agriculture visa vis other things are constant (climate variability, pest or insect or virus infestation and others)

3. Objective of minimizing environmental and human health impact  can be merged as one objective yet:-

• The objectives can encompass animal health and eradicating toxicities of food plants from inorganic fertilizer application  

4. Food safety could be from the post-harvest handling, application of toxic fertilizer, pesticides,  fungicides or any environmental and human wastes; so that:-

• Food safety type to address should be indicative like increasing food safety from application of inorganic fertilizer or any.

Here as dynamism is always expected positively or negatively it is good to set objective not with maintaining rather increasing.  

Dear Participants,

We are six weeks into the forum now, a bit less if you consider the holiday period, and we are still receiving very valuable feedback and inputs to the discussion on a future Code of Conduct on the Management of Fertilizers (CoCoFe). Again, we are extremely grateful to everyone for your contributions.

In the previous 2 weeks, we have received contributions from a broad representation of society, including Academia, Farmers Organizations, and Industry. We have had a few more suggestions on how to better frame the objectives, such as including the issue of nutrient-use in relation to land-use, as well as including food nutrition in addition to food safety.

Once again, there is a broad consensus that all plant nutrient sources should be included in the CoCoFe as they are all part of an Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) strategy to sustainable food production. It was also suggested that including advanced nutrient formulations will help encourage innovation and advancement in nutrient use efficiency technology.

With the extension of the forum until the 11th of February, we are still anticipating more feedback, both from those of you who have responded already and from those of you who are new.

Next week, in addition to the digest, we will also provide some more information on the next-steps in the process towards producing the CoCoFe document.

Thanks and best regards from the CoCoFe facilitation team,

Debra, Ronald and Gary

We think that is fundamental for the human and animal health to manage the fertilizers market in a sustainable and healthy way.

It's important a professional approach, based on crop needs and soil characteristics.

The fertilizer application have to be managed following the environmental and crop needs.

Please find attached Fertilizer Canada’s response to the online consultation for the development of the Code of Conduct for the Management of Fertilizers. On behalf of Fertilizer Canada and our members, thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback.

Cassandra Cotton

Director, Sustainability

Fertilizer Canada | Fertilisants Canada

Online consultation for developing the Code of Conduct for the Management of Fertilizers

The Fertilizer Institute

January 26, 2018

The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) is pleased to provide the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on the development of the Code of Conduct for the Management of Fertilizers. The members of TFI, and our scientific partners with the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI), are leading the way in development and implementation of new technologies and scientifically-based management for agricultural cropping systems to better meet social, environmental, and economic goals.

Statement of Interest
The Fertilizer Institute represents the United States fertilizer industry including producers, importers, retailers, wholesalers and companies that provide services to the fertilizer industry. TFI members provide nutrients that nourish the nation’s crops, helping to ensure a stable and reliable food, fuel, and fiber supply. Whether from organic or commercial sources, fertilizer nutrients are a key component of sustainable crop production systems. Fertilizer is a key ingredient in feeding a growing global population, which is expected to surpass 9.7 billion people by 2050. Half of all food grown around the world today, for both people and animals, is made possible through the use of fertilizer. As demand continues to grow, farmers around the world will continue to rely on fertilizer to increase production efficiency, producing more food while optimizing inputs.

Background
The 4R framework and supporting practices are integral components for enhancing water and air quality, food supply chain sustainability, crop productivity and soil health. 4R Nutrient Stewardship is a science-based framework to aid implementation of fertilizer best management practices on the farm. Properly managed fertilizers support cropping systems that provide economic, social and environmental benefits. On the other hand, poorly managed nutrient applications can decrease profitability and increase nutrient losses, potentially degrading water and air.

4R nutrient stewardship requires the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) that optimize the efficiency of fertilizer use. The goal of fertilizer BMPs is to match nutrient supply with crop requirements and to minimize nutrient losses from fields. Selection of BMPs varies by location, and those chosen for a given farm are dependent on local soil and climatic conditions, crop, management conditions and other site-specific factors.

General Comments

For clarification is the second document to address situations where fertilizer use is insufficient rather than using low to no fertilizer? Scenarios of crop production with low to no fertilizer use would lead to a decrease in global food production, resulting in an increase in food insecurity, malnutrition, and hunger. The focus of this effort should be placed on sustainable fertilizer use in a whole system approach, rather than split focus on over and under or no fertilizer use.

Given the global scope of the CoCoFe, do you think the objectives are appropriate? If not, how would you add to them or modify them?

Objectives need to focus in on what sustainable agriculture is, such as utilizing existing agricultural lands by intensifying production to maintain and increase crop yields. The first objective should include a statement on land use. To minimize environmental impacts of fertilizer, 4R Nutrient Stewardship needs to be a part of the discussion for any potential solution. The 4R Nutrient Stewardship framework should be front and center in the objectives as it is an internationally recognized framework for sustainable fertilizer use and includes science-based practices that are site specific. Additionally, the last objective needs to include nutrition. Without fertilizers, nutrition of crops would be less. Micronutrients are vital to improving human health around the world.

Suggested revised objectives:
1. increasing global food production on current agricultural land; (need to include land use – increasing production can be done by increasing land area, this is contrary to sustainable ag principles).
2. optimize the efficient use of plant nutrients;
3. minimizing the environmental impacts from the use of fertilizers including pollution by loss of nutrients via runoff, leaching, greenhouse gas emissions and other mechanisms;
4. minimizing environmental and human health impacts from pollutants such as heavy metals in fertilizers;
5. maintaining and improving food nutrition and safety.

How should the CoCoFe be structured to have the maximum positive impact?

Recommendations from a science team/network with top nutrient management specialists representing many geographical cropping regions should be provided to a governing council of policy officials from FAO.

Inclusion of the science based principles of 4R Nutrient Stewardship that are applicable to all systems, regardless of farm size, level of technology, or type of crop produced should be included. Additionally, because of work with IPNI and other fertilizer organizations, the 4R principles are already globally recognized. Considering the right source, at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place is designed to be implemented by taking into account the site-specific conditions of each field or farm. This meets the design plant that the CoCoFe will provide broad recommendations on what should be considered when designing strategies to manage fertilizers sustainably.

Who would be the best audience for the CoCoFe to meet our objectives and how could we broaden and diversify this audience to increase its influence?

The primary audience for the CoCoFe should be the agencies in individual countries that are responsible for agricultural policy. Increased influence and impact of the CoCoFe could be achieved by also addressing agricultural education, extension, research, retail entities, and crop consultant groups in each country as well as the agencies or groups in each country that are responsible for funding agricultural education, extension, and research.

What should the scope of the CoCoFe be? Which nutrient input sources should be included; only synthetic fertilizers, or also manure, biosolids, compost, etc.? Should other products such as bio-stimulants, nitrification inhibitors, urease inhibitors, etc., be included as well?

All nutrient sources that provide plant nutrition should be included in addition to advanced fertilizer formulations that help to better match nutrient availability to plant uptake. Including these products will help encourage innovation and advancements in the nutrient use efficiency of fertilizers. Inclusion of all nutrient sources and products should be based on the scientific data available on their use and efficiency.

Will the CoCoFe assist in promoting responsible and judicious use of fertilizers? Why or why not? What other suggestions do you have to help the CoCoFe meet our objectives?

The success of the CoCoFe in promoting responsible and judicious use of fertilizer is dependent on engaging governments, agricultural scientists, agricultural educators, NGOs involved in sustainability and the global fertilizer industry. The CoCoFe should be based on a rigorous science-based
framework like the 4R nutrient Stewardship, and framed through discussion with regional
stakeholders with their multiple objectives in mind for the necessary buy-in and
implementation.

English translation will be available soon

APORTES AL CODIGO DE CONDUCTA PARA EL MANEJO DE LOS FERTILIZANTES EN LA AGRICULTURA DESDE LA PERSPECTIVA DE LA SEGURIDAD ALIMENTARIA Y NUTRICIONAL

Mylene Rodríguez Leyton,

Docente Investigador, Universidad Metropolitana de Barranquilla.

Colombia

De acuerdo con La Cumbre Mundial sobre la Alimentación (FAO, 1996) la seguridad alimentaria existe cuando todas las personas tienen, en todo momento, acceso físico, social y económico a alimentos suficientes, inocuos y nutritivos que satisfacen sus necesidades energéticas diarias y preferencias alimentarias para llevar una vida activa y sana. La inseguridad alimentaria se genera no solamente cuando existe carencia de alimentos suficientes sino cuando no se cumple con los atributos necesarios para garantizar la salud y nutrición de las personas, como el contenido nutricional y la inocuidad, condiciones que se generan en todos los eslabones de la cadena agroalimentaria, iniciando por la producción de los alimentos.

Durante la etapa de producción de alimentos los agricultores utilizan los fertilizantes, este uso es múltiple y variado, su propósito se orienta a mejorar el suministro de nutrientes a los cultivos y obtener mayor producción tanto en calidad como en cantidad, especialmente teniendo en cuenta que el acelerado crecimiento de la población supone la necesidad de incrementar la producción de alimentos y el reto de garantizar la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional. El uso de fertilizantes y agroquímicos en agricultura, representa cambios sustanciales en la producción agrícola con lo cual se estaría contribuyendo a la seguridad alimentaria de la población; sin embargo, se ha demostrado que el uso de los fertilizantes también puede ocasionar problemas en la salud humana y generar efectos negativos en el medio ambiente debido a la exposición a estos agentes químicos, lo cual significaría que pueden convertirse en factores de riesgo para la inseguridad alimentaria.

El código de conducta para el manejo de los fertilizantes debe ser coherente con el propósito de garantizar la seguridad alimentaria mundial potencializando los efectos positivos sobre la producción de alimentos saludables e inocuos con el menor efecto posible sobre el medio ambiente y la salud humana.

Estudios han demostrado que el uso de insecticidas, herbicidas, fungicidas o fertilizantes no es del todo eficiente con lo que se acentúa el problema de contaminación del agua, del suelo y del aire, y se pueden generar residuos potencialmente dañinos para los alimentos que se consumen; así mismo, la aplicación frecuente de plaguicidas, de forma más o menos regular, puede originar efectos adversos sobre la salud de los trabajadores expuestos; las exposiciones crónicas a estos compuestos pueden originar inicialmente alteraciones bioquímicas que no evidencian síntomas clínicos iniciales, aunque si son respuestas biológicas medibles que se pueden constituir en biomarcadores que permiten pronosticar la aparición de enfermedades antes de su manifestación clínica pero que evidencian los efectos sobre órganos como el riñón, el hígado, el sistema inmunitario y el sistema nervioso (Hernández- Jerez, 2017).

La presencia en los alimentos de agentes nocivos que puedan afectar la salud no solo concierne a la dimensión de disponibilidad, de la seguridad alimentaria sino que tiene que ver con su inocuidad y con la utilización correcta del organismo humano, de los mismos.

Por lo anterior, es de vital importancia considerar que los mecanismos utilizados para mejorar la productividad agrícola deben orientarse hacia la sustentabilidad, no solo desde la mirada del desarrollo económico, sino desde los aspectos ambientales y sociales (Salgado, 2015), lo cual significa tener en mente la integralidad y complejidad del concepto de seguridad alimentaria y nutricional, donde interactúan los sistemas agrícolas con los sistemas alimentarios.

El código de conducta para el manejo de los fertilizantes desde la perspectiva de la sostenibilidad implica tomar decisiones en interacción de los consumidores con los agricultores y sus decisiones de producción, lo cual es favorable para los sistemas de agricultura sustentable. Así los agricultores y los usuarios de los fertilizantes deben concebirse como actores y partes interesadas en la mejoría de la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional y como tal deben interactuar e interrelacionarse con los demás, especialmente con los consumidores (Salgado, 2015); para ello deben tener consciencia de las conexiones de la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional y de su responsabilidad en la generación de sistemas alimentarios sostenibles.

El código de conducta para el manejo de los fertilizantes implica incorporar valores como la ética y la responsabilidad. La ética fundamentada en los valores que promuevan unas relaciones respetuosas entre los sistemas socioculturales y los ecosistemas de la naturaleza. Se requiere fortalecer valores que generen un equilibrio entre la naturaleza y la vida humana; es decir, una ética alimentaria, que permita el ejercicio de la democracia ecológica que dé cabida a todos los seres en un nicho ecológico (Noguera, 2007).

BIBLIOGRAFIA

1. Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación, FAO. Una introducción a los conceptos básicos de la seguridad alimentaria. Disponible en: http://www.fao.org/docrep/014/al936s/al936s00.pdf

2. Evaluación de la toxicidad de plaguicidas mediante biomarcadores moleculares y enzimáticos. David Lozano Paniagua. Tesis doctoral dirigida por Antonio Francisco Hernández Jerez. Universidad de Granada, 2017.

3. Salgado Sánchez, Raquel Agricultura sustentable y sus posibilidades en relación con consumidores urbanos Estudios Sociales, vol. 23, núm. 45, enero-junio, 2015, pp. 113-140 Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. Hermosillo, México.

4. Noguera de Echeverri, Ana Patricia COMPLEJIDAD AMBIENTAL: PROPUESTAS ÉTICAS EMERGENTES DEL PENSAMIENTO AMBIENTAL LATINO-AMERICANO Gestión y Ambiente, vol. 10, núm. 1, mayo, 2007, pp. 5-30 Universidad Nacional de Colombia Medellín, Colombia

Online Consultation for Developing the FAO Code of Conduct for the Management of Fertilizers

Contribution of the International Fertilizer Association

The International Fertilizer Association (IFA) welcomes this initiative led by FAO and is pleased to share its feedback to the questions raised by the facilitators of the online consultation. More generally, we believe it is important for FAO, as the UN’s lead agency on food and agriculture, to develop guidance on fertilizer use, having already developed guidelines or codes of conduct for a number of other agricultural inputs (i.e. pesticides, animal feed). IFA, an active member of the Global Soil Partnership, supported the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management, which provides important guidance on plant nutrition, which could usefully be expanded on in a Fertilizer Management Code of Conduct.

IFA has enjoyed a longstanding and good working relationship with FAO. Back in the 1960s, our organizations worked closely together under the Fertilizer Industry Advisory Committee (FIAC) to inform farmers in developing countries about the role fertilizers can play in increasing yields. The key issue before us today is how to promote effective and efficient use of fertilizers to promote food security while minimizing nutrient losses to the environment, and IFA stands ready to engage with FAO on this important task. IFA and its members can provide valuable expertise and input into this important project, and help FAO in the ultimate promotion of the Code of Conduct among key stakeholders. Given our longstanding relationship, cemented in 2016 by a Memorandum of Understanding, which includes pillars on advocacy, communication and knowledge sharing, IFA looks forward to playing a constructive role in this important and timely project.

About IFA

The International Fertilizer Association (IFA) is the only global fertilizer association with a membership of almost 500 entities in 67 countries, encompassing all actors in the fertilizer value chain: producers, traders, distributors, service providers, advisors, research organizations and NGOs. IFA promotes the efficient and responsible production, distribution and use of plant nutrients to enable sustainable agricultural systems that contribute to a world free of hunger and malnutrition.

Given the global scope of the CoCoFe, do you think the objectives are appropriate? If not, how would you add to them or modify them?

General comment: We believe that the Code of Conduct in general, and its objectives in particular, should address all nutrient sources used for plant nutrition (mineral and organic), which can be defined as “fertilizers” in its broad sense. In order to ensure common understanding, it will require the precise definition of key terms.

Objective 1: The objective should be reworded as “Increasing global food production” to be consistent with long-term projections, which all highlight the need to increase the global agricultural output to meet the requirements of the still fast-growing world population and accommodate dietary changes in emerging and developing economies. Biomass production for bioenergy and biomaterials is likely to create additional demand. Part of this additional demand can be addressed by reducing food losses and wastes but bridging yield gaps will remain an essential objective.

Objective 2: To be sustainable, fertilizer management has to be both efficient (ratio between what goes in and out of the farming system) and effective (meet productivity objectives). If efficiency is achieved to the detriment of crop yield, it cannot be considered a sustainable option. Therefore, we suggest rephrasing objective 2 as follows: “Optimizing the use efficiency and effectiveness of plant nutrients to ensure sustainable agricultural systems”.

Objective 3: The list of loss pathways doesn’t need to be spelt out in the objective. In addition, the positive environmental impacts associated with avoided deforestation should be mentioned. We suggest the following wording as an alternative: “Minimizing environmental impacts associated with nutrient losses to the environment and increasing environmental benefits through avoided land use changes”.

Objectives 4 and 5: Again, it doesn’t seem appropriate to give an example in the objective (objective 4). Heavy metals are indeed unwanted trace elements but other impurities such as organic compounds and pathogens may also have negative impacts on the environment and human health. In addition, objectives 4 and 5 are closely related and quite redundant. We would like to suggest the following wording for objective 4: “Ensuring food safety by assessing and managing risks from non-nutritive trace elements in fertilizers”.

New Objective 5: Adding a reference to food quality would be useful as fertilizer management practices can influence nutritional quality of food products. The proposed objective could read “Improving food quality and nutrition security through optimal use of plant nutrients”.

New objective 6: Surprisingly, no objective refers to maintaining or enhancing the health of agricultural soils, while nutrient management plays a key role in keeping productive soils through replacement of nutrients removed with consecutive harvests and in controlling soil organic matter levels. By preventing soil nutrient mining and soil organic matter depletion, fertilizers (mineral and organic) play a key role in preserving healthy soils and preventing soil degradation. The objective could read: “Managing fertilizers to maintain or increase organic matter levels and the pool of plant-available essential nutrients in cultivated soils”.

Aim of CoCoFe

The invitation to the CoCoFe consultation states that “the focus [of the Code of Conduct] is more on discouraging fertilizer overuse whereas a second document, to be developed later, will address scenarios with low or no fertilizer use under the topic of integrated soil fertility management”. We strongly believe that overuse and underuse are equally important challenges. They both reflect unsustainable practices and, as such, should be addressed in the Code of Conduct.

In addition, this statement puts emphasis on the fertilizer application rate. While rate is an important component of efficient and effective fertilizer management, the other 3 areas of fertilizer management (source, time and place) should be paid as much attention. Good fertilizer management performance can only be achieved by implementing fertilizer best management practices (BMPs) in those four areas.

• Right Source – Choose plant‐available nutrient forms (organic and mineral) that provide a balanced supply of all essential nutrients with release matched to crop demand.
• Right Rate – Ensure an adequate amount of all limiting nutrients is applied to meet plant requirements in relation to yield and quality goals.
• Right Time – Time nutrient applications considering the interactions of crop uptake, soil supply, environmental risks, and field operation logistics.
• Right Place – Place nutrients to take advantage of the root‐soil dynamics considering nutrient movement, spatial variability within the field, and potential to minimize nutrient losses from the field.

We suggest rewording CoCoFe’s focus as “Encouraging efficient and effective fertilizer use”. Depending on the country, or the farming system within a country, the focus may be more on overuse or underuse when it will come to translating the Code of Conduct in practical recommendations.

How should be the CoCoFe be structured to have the maximum positive impact?

The Code of Conduct should reinforce and elaborate on the key references to fertilizers in FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management (VGSSM).

CoCoFe should provide scientific principles for the good management of fertilizers. These principles should be universal (across geographies and farming systems). At a later stage, the Code of Conduct should be supplemented by regional or national manuals that would provide more practical recommendations (fertilizer BMPs) to farmers and their advisors.

The fertilizer industry has developed its own guidelines for sustainable fertilizer management, called “4R Nutrient Stewardship”, a framework for applying the right nutrient source, at the right rate, at the right time, in the right place, to achieve improved sustainability. Implementation of the 4Rs at the local level requires adoption of site- and crop-specific BMPs in the 4 areas of nutrient management. See the IFA/WFO/GACSA Nutrient Management Handbook for more details.

4R Nutrient Stewardship has been adopted by key stakeholders, including farmers organizations and farmers advisors. For instance, nutrient stewardship is part of the curriculum for the Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) programme of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA). The 4Rs have also been successfully included in public-private partnerships like FertCare in Australia, the 4R Plus Initiative (4R Best Management Practices plus mitigation conservation practices) in Iowa, or in the Lake Erie watershed – to just name a few. The local fertilizer industry has actively participated in helping to set up trainings and certifications for these programmes.

CoCoFe would benefit from building on industry’s 4R Nutrient Stewardship Framework.

Who would be the best audience for the CoCoFe to meet our objectives and how could we broaden and diversify this audience to increase its influence?

Should the Code of Conduct be composed of universal scientific principles/technical guidelines (as recommended above), the primary audience would be policymakers and regulators, who are responsible for designing national policies, strategies and regulatory frameworks in relation to agriculture and fertilizers.

The secondary audience would be made of scientists and the fertilizer industry, who are involved in developing fertilizer recommendations, fertilizer products and formulations, decision-making support tools, etc.

The tertiary audience would be composed of farmers and their advisors (e.g. extension services, fertilizer retailers, NGOs), whose main interest would be in subsequent practical recommendations/manuals.

What should the scope of the CoCoFe be? Which nutrient input sources should be included; only synthetic fertilizers, or also manure, biosolids, compost, etc.? Should other products such as bio-stimulants, nitrification inhibitors, urease inhibitors, etc., be included as well?

The scope of CoCoFe should consider all sources of nutrients used to feed plants, i.e. mineral fertilizers, organic sources of nutrients (manure, compost, biosolids, etc.) and combinations thereof (organo-minerals). A Code of Conduct restricted to mineral fertilizers only would be counterproductive as sustainable fertilization practices require integrating organic and mineral nutrient sources, using organic sources available on the farm (or nearby) and supplementing them with mineral fertilizers to reach the farmer’s yield goal. This is part of the Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) strategy, a concept that should be supported by CoCoFe.

The Code of Conduct should also cover all essential nutrients (macro- and micronutrients) as any deficiency in one nutrient can impact the use efficiency and effectiveness of the others.

Additives aimed at improving nutrient use efficiency such as inhibitors, polymer coatings and biostimulants should be included as well, reflecting CoCoFe’s 2nd objective which is about improving nutrient use efficiency.

Note: The term “synthetic” fertilizers is inappropriate to define “mineral” fertilizers as several commercial mineral fertilizers are not the result of a chemical/synthetic process.

Will the CoCoFe assist in promoting responsible and judicious use of fertilizers? Why or why not? What other suggestions do you have to help the CoCoFe meet our objectives?

If the Code of Conduct spells out the scientific principles that should apply to fertilizer management, and if stakeholders adopt these principles and translate them in practical site- and crop-specific recommendations, then CoCoFe is likely to contribute to the responsible and judicious use of fertilizers. It should be kept in mind that, today, the main challenge is in developing countries. Therefore, the Code of Conduct should be relevant to them. Considering that two thirds of IFA members are in developing and emerging economies, IFA can play an important role in promoting CoCoFe.

What would be a good way to measure or quantify the progress of distribution and adoption of the CoCoFe?

There is definitively a need for monitoring adoption, promotion and implementation of CoCoFe (or CoCoFe-compatible schemes) by relevant stakeholders. A number of indicators could be tracked in this connection: number of countries having translated the Code of Conduct in their national fertilizer strategy; buy-in by the fertilizer industry; review (and revision as needed) of national fertilizer recommendations consistent with CoCoFe’s principles; development of decision-making support tools consistent with CoCoFe’s principles; percentage of farmers receiving advice compatible with CoCoFe’s principles; percentage of the cultivated area fertilized according to CoCoFe’s principles; etc. Out of this list of proposed indicators, outreach to farmers may be the most relevant one if CoCoFe is to make an impact at the field level.

Keeping in mind that the CoCoFe will serve as a guiding framework for all Member States, what should be included in order for the code of conduct to help address different stakeholders?

The Code of Conduct should provide universal principles. Member States should then translate these principles into their national fertilizer strategy and in site- and crop-specific fertilizer recommendations. In order to have a meaningful impact, the Code of Conduct should encourage multi-stakeholder dialogue at the national level and partnership towards commonly agreed national or sub-national objectives.

Next Steps

We have well noted that the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS) has been tasked to develop the CoCoFe. Because ITPS is mostly composed of soil scientists, we would like to suggest that the Panel invites crop nutrition scientists and fertilizer experts to join the steering group in order to ensure that all required fields of expertise are properly represented during the development process. For instance, we believe that the steering group would benefit from the scientific expertise of the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI). IFA is also ready to recommend highly-respected experts as needed.

My suggestions are:

- Issue of Soil Health Cards to all farm holdings. Soil Health Card Scheme implemented in India provides status of soil of the farm holding with respect to 12 parameters based on soil test results and provides advice on the dosage of fertiliser and also the needed soil amendments.

- Integrated Nutrient Management (INM)- judicious use and optimisation of benefits of all possible sources of organic, inorganic and biological components is very much needed. The use of inorganic fertilisers can be reduced if INM is followed. The availability of nutrients in the biological wastes available in the locality should be analysed properly and results made known to the extension officers.

- Soil-water-plant relationship- Timing of application and dosage of application must be based on appropriate water-fertiliser regime. Nutrient uptake includes three mechanisms- mass flow, diffusion and root interception.

- To  prevent fertiliser contamination, soil application of fertiliser should be reduced, timing of fertiliser application should coincide with plant need (application based on stages of plant growth) and fertiliser should be mixed with soil to reduce surface run-off of the fertiliser compounds.

- Governance issues related to ensuring availability  distribution and use of fertilisers- a) mobile based fertiliser management system can be employed for monitoring using IT based technical platform, b) Monitoring of ensuring subsidy for fertilisers based on direct transfer system, etc.

Prof.R.M.Prasad

Former Associate Director of Extension, KAU

General Secretary, Farm Care Foundation, Thrissur, Kerala

English translation below

Dado el alcance global del CoCoFe, ¿cree que los objetivos son apropiados? Si no, ¿qué añadiría o modificaría? ¿Cómo se debe estructurar el CoCoFe para lograr el máximo impacto positivo?

En líneas generales estaríamos de acuerdo con los objetivos  propuestos. Tal vez sería conveniente darle mayor precisión al objetivo 2 reformulándolo de la siguiente manera: “optimizar el uso eficiente de los fertilizantes en la nutrición mineral de los cultivos para promover una agricultura sostenible a nivel global”

¿Quién sería la mejor audiencia para que el CoCoFe cumpla con nuestros objetivos y cómo podríamos ampliar y diversificar esta audiencia para aumentar su influencia?

Entendiendo audiencia como los grupos focales hacia los cuales se dirigirían las recomendaciones del CoCoFe, la misma debería incluir entes de los respectivos estados responsables en definir políticas, órganos legislativos, entes de investigación, fabricantes y distribuidores de fertilizantes, gremios de agricultores, entre otros.

Por su parte el CoCoFe debería estar integrado en un principio por un panel de expertos o especialistas que aporte un documento base a ser sometido a consulta a los diferentes actores involucrados.

¿Cuál debería ser el alcance del CoCoFe? Qué fuentes de entrada de nutrientes deberían incluirse: solo los fertilizantes sintéticos, o también el estiércol, biosólidos, compost, etc.? ¿Deberían contemplarse también otros productos, como los bioestimulantes, los inhibidores de la nitrificación, los inhibidores de la ureasa, etc.?

Bajo el concepto amplio de la fertilidad de los suelos y del manejo integrado de la nutrición mineral de los cultivos, los fertilizantes sintéticos  constituyen solo una parte de la ecuación, pudiendo tener mayor o menor importancia entre los diferentes sistemas de producción agrícola. Para tener impacto en la promoción de una agricultura sustentable se hace necesario considerar de manera global los aportes de las diferentes fuentes de nutrientes.

De igual forma se hace necesario revisar las tecnologías disponibles o en desarrollo para mejorar la eficiencia y minimizar pérdidas y posibles impactos ambientales, que incluya desarrollo de nuevos productos fertilizantes, mejoradores, acondicionadores, enmiendas, etc., así como sistema de manejo agronómico que incluya métodos de aplicación de la fertilización, aprovechamiento de restos de cosechas y otros residuos orgánicos, rotación de cultivos, manejo del agua, etc., tomando como referencia experiencias previas de países miembros y sobre la base de análisis costo-beneficio. Todo lo anterior debe estar soportado en una red de carácter regional para el diagnóstico de la fertilidad de los suelos y requerimientos de fertilizantes integrado a los cuerpos de extensión y de asistencia técnica de cada país.

¿Ayudará CoCoFe a promover el uso responsable y juicioso de los fertilizantes? ¿Por qué o por qué no? ¿Qué otras sugerencias se le ocurren para ayudar al CoCoFe a cumplir nuestros objetivos?

El impacto que pueda tener el CoCoFe  en la promoción del uso responsable y juicioso de los fertilizantes vendrá dado por lo apropiado y viable que resulten las propuestas para las condiciones naturales y sistemas de producción que imperen en cada uno de los países miembros. De igual forma se hará indispensable promover entre los miembros sistemas de monitoreo que permitan cuantificar en el tiempo  los cambios que se alcancen en el uso de fertilizantes que tienda a consolidar una agricultura sustentable.

Agradecidos por considerar nuestras opiniones y atentos a nuevos requerimnientos.

Me suscribo Atentamente

Alejandro Silva

SVCS

Maracay - Venezuela

Given the global scope of the CoCoFe, do you think the objectives are appropriate?  If not, how would you add to them or modify them?How should be the CoCoFe be structured to have the maximum positive impact?

In general terms we agree with the proposed objectives. However, rewording objective 2 as follows might be convenient for enhanced precision: "optimizing the efficient use of fertilizers in the mineral nutrition of crops to promote sustainable agriculture globally"

Who would be the best audience for the CoCoFe to meet our objectives and how could we broaden and diversify this audience to increase its influence?

Assuming the audience are the focus groups targeted by CoCoFe recommendations, it should include policy-making and legislative bodies, research entities, manufacturers and distributors of fertilizers, and farmers' organizations, among others.

As forthe CoCoFe, a panel of experts or specialists should initially deliver a source document for stakeholder consultation.

What should the scope of the CoCoFe be? Which nutrient input sources should be included; only synthetic fertilizers, or also manure, biosolids, compost, etc.?  Should other products such as bio-stimulants, nitrification inhibitors, urease inhibitors, etc., be included as well?

The concept of soil fertility and the integrated management of mineral nutrition of crops is broad and synthetic fertilizers are just part of the equation, with variable importance across different agricultural production systems. The contributions of the different nutrient sources must be considered globally to have an impact on the promotion of sustainable agriculture.

Similarly, current or future technologies aimed at improving the efficiency and minimizing losses and potential environmental impact - and including the development of new fertilizer products, improvers, conditioners, amendments, etc., as well as agronomic management systemsfeaturing fertilizer application methods, use of crop residues and other organic waste, crop rotation, water management, etc.- should be reviewed, taking previous experiences of member countries as a reference and using a cost-benefit analysis. All this must be supported by a regional network assessing soil fertility and fertilizer requirements, embedded into the extension and technical assistance bodies of each country.

Will the CoCoFe assist in promoting responsible and judicious use of fertilizers?  Why or why not?  What other suggestions do you have to help the CoCoFe meet our objectives?

The impact that the CoCoFe may have on the promotion of the responsible and judicious use of fertilizers will be determined by the suitability and feasibility of the proposals for the natural conditions and production systems in each of the member countries. In the same way, promoting monitoring systems among the members to measure the changes in the use of fertilizers aimed at consolidating sustainable agriculture over time will be essential.

Thanks for considering our opinions, we are open to further discussion.

Yours sincerely.

Alejandro Silva

SVCS

Maracay - Venezuela

Correct information about soil fertility makes it possible to use existing resources more efficiently, without significant additional costs, especially in the context of a global increase in prices for energy and fertilizers.

Obtaining a correct assessment of available phosphorus, potassium and microelements in the soil is a world problem. Disadvantages, which are typical for methods based on solutions of pure acids or alkalis, are largely characteristic for all methods that have extragent pH values more than 8,0 (for example, bicarbonate method - ISO 11263, pH -8,5) or have extragent pH values less than 4,5 (Brau-Kurtz 2 (рН-1,0), Mehlich 1 (рН-1,2), Arrhenius (рН-2,0), Mehlich 3 (рН-2,5), Mehlich 2 (рН-2,6), Van Lierop (Kelowna) -рН-2,7, Egner-Riehm (рН-3,6), Brau-Kurtz 1 (рН-3,5), Egner-Riehm-Domingo (рН-4,2) and etc).

The National Scientific Center "Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry Research named after O.N. Sokolovsky" conducted work aimed at the improvement of the national standardization system. The Technical Committee for Standardization (which was established on the basis of Scientific Center in 2001) has developed more than 300 normative documents in the area of soil science, agrochemistry and soil conservation. Of these, more than 170 standards have developed in the framework of the program "Harmonization of National Standards with International and European".

In our opinion, the Code of Conduct for the Management of Fertilizers (CoCoFe) must necessarily include a section aimed at solving the problem of correct determination of the mobile forms of macro- and microelements content in the soils.

The relevant legislative bodies: the Global Soil Partnership Plenary Assembly, the Committee on Agriculture (COAG), government regulators and other stakeholders should make efforts to harmonize national and international regulatory documents, create new international standards, and improve soil diagnostic methods.

The National Scientific Center "Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry Research named after O.N. Sokolovsky" is ready to take an active part in solving the above problems, both at the regional and global levels.

With respect,

Mykola Miroshnychenko

Anatoly Khristenko