Optimizing Nitrogen

Owned by Ashu Sikri (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Mar 28, 2022
2 min read

Status (for kharif 2022)

  • Formula for N recommendation is developed and ready to use for site specific recommendation during this upcoming season

Why?

  • Farmer level:

    • In some cases, excess application means N is not being absorbed by the plant and increasing yield but just wasted expense and entering the atmosphere

    • In some cases, can increase application and boost yield

    • Fertilizer shortages are widespread

    • Existing mental model = more nitrogen, more yield. Reality is that you can over-saturate (plants can only absorb so much nitrogen)  

  • System level

    • Urea prices driven by natural gas prices which are spiking due to macro factors

    • As part of the Soil Intelligence System, CIMMYT/CSISA working at a state and national level on moving to DBT subsidies where farmers can use funds to buy what they need rather than subsidizing inputs

      • $20bn national spend (India) on subsidizing fertilizer last year

      • SIS working group coordinates with Principal secretary for Ag at the state level and then shares learning w national ministers

    • Excess nitrogen fertilizer huge driver for emissions

Context

  • CSISA has done N balance modeling to figure out where can farmers safely reduce N application without negatively impacting yield

  • Anticipated yield response when managing for a certain N balance

    • N balance = N supplied in fertilizer less N absorbed by crop biomass

    • 100kg of fertilizer, estimates plant uptake is 80, N balance = +20 

    • Target +30kg balance which provides a safe buffer; farmer unlikely to see yield reduction

  • Lots of places with opportunity to reduce N fertilizer by 20 kg per hectare without impact yield

    • What is this worth to farmers in terms of rupees saved? Need to quantify

 

 

How to operationalize?

  1. Identify target districts

  2. JEEViKA alignment

  3. Awareness building videos

    1. Storyboard; why should farmers care?

    2. Introduce concept of N balance and flag where they may be potential

  4. Capture critical parameters via VRPs / data wallet in order to deliver site specific recommendation

    1. Previous season yield and fertilizer applied

    2. CSISA has formula for estimating optimal fertilizer amount (w 30kg per hectare buffer)

  5. Deliver recommendation and track adoption

  6. Quantify impact

    1. Farmer costs savings

    2. 100 farmers realizing this emission reduction for rice is equal to ~6,800 passenger vehicles for one year or nearly 16mn kg of coal burned. Reference

      1. Estimate emission reduction of 172 kg/ha-1 CO2e for wheat and 316 kg/ha-1 CO2e for paddy from reducing surplus nitrogen fertilizer.

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