Specialty blended fertilizers for root and tuber crops

Special fertilizer for root and tuber crops

Specialty Blended Fertilizers for Root and Tuber Crops are tailor-made fertilizers that provide a well-balanced mix of vital nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur, which helps to tackle deficiencies often found in soils in Sub-Saharan Africa. By making use of fertilizers and manufacturing resources readily available in the region, these specialized mixes are designed to meet the specific needs of sweet potato and cassava farming under different conditions. This approach allows for the efficient and sustainable use of nutrients within the farming system, while boosting root growth, tuber filling, and overall crop health.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

6•6

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 6/9; level of use 6/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive low

The poor: Positive low

Women: Positive low

Climate adaptability: Moderately adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: Same amount of carbon released

Environmental health: Does not improve environmental health

Soil quality: Does not affect soil health and fertility

Water use: Same amount of water used

Problem

Nutrient Deficiencies in Soils: Soils across many landscapes in Sub-Saharan Africa lack essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur required for root and tuber crops like sweet potato and cassava.
Low Soil Fertility: Production areas for sweet potato and cassava face limitations in crop production due to low soil fertility, intensive cultivation, and high population density.
Insufficient Crop Resilience: Root and tuber crops are susceptible to drought, pests, diseases, and stress, affecting crop quality and productivity.

Solution

Balanced Nutrient Supply: Specially designed fertilizers provide a balanced supply of essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur, addressing the deficiencies found in the soils of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Enhanced Crop Health and Yield: By providing the right nutrient formula at the right time and place, the fertilizers significantly enhance the productivity, quality, and resilience of tuber crops, helping them resist drought, pests, diseases, and stress.
Meeting Specific Crop Needs: Specific nutrient formulas can be made by blending a wide range of solid granular types of fertilizers. This caters to the specific needs of sweet potato and cassava under different conditions.

Key points to design your project

The "Specialty Blended Fertilizers for Root and Tuber Crops" technology contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While specific gender-related impacts are not explicitly mentioned, the technology can potentially contribute to gender equality (SDG 5) by improving crop yields and income, which can empower women involved in farming.
The technology also has a positive impact on the climate (SDG 13). By ensuring efficient and sustainable nutrient utilization, it helps avoid undesired losses to the environment. This contributes to responsible consumption and production (SDG 12) and life on land (SDG 15).
Moreover, by enhancing the productivity and resilience of crops, it contributes to zero hunger (SDG 2) and decent work and economic growth (SDG 8). Thus, this technology aligns with key priorities for government projects, such as food security, climate action, and sustainable growth.

To facilitate the implementation of the “Specialty Blended Fertilizers for Root and Tuber Crops” technology in your project:

Identify Potential Partners: Research and identify private fertilizer manufacturers who might be interested in a partnership. Look for those who share a commitment to sustainable agriculture and improving crop yields.
Awareness Campaign: Launch an awareness campaign to educate farmers about the benefits of the technology and its impact on crop yield and soil health.
Training Programs: Organize training programs in collaboration with the manufacturer to teach farmers how to use the technology effectively. This includes understanding their soil conditions, choosing the right fertilizer blend, and applying it correctly.
Product Development: Work with the manufacturer to develop the right blends of fertilizer based on the specific needs of the local soils and crops. The manufacturer’s expertise and resources can be invaluable in this process.
Distribution Network: Leverage the manufacturer’s distribution network to make the fertilizers easily accessible to farmers. This could involve setting up local depots or arranging for home delivery.
Demonstration Plots: Set up demonstration plots to show the effectiveness of the technology. This can help convince farmers of its benefits.
Feedback Mechanism: Establish a feedback mechanism to learn from the farmers’ experiences, address their concerns, and make necessary adjustments. Share this feedback with the manufacturer to continuously improve the product.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Regularly monitor and evaluate the impact of the technology on crop yield and soil health to measure success and identify areas for improvement. Share these results with the manufacturer and the farming community.

16 to 26 ton per hectare

sweetpotato yield increase

IP

Open source / open access

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

Balanced Nutrient Supply: Specially designed fertilizers provide a balanced supply of essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur, addressing the deficiencies found in the soils of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Enhanced Crop Health and Yield: By providing the right nutrient formula at the right time and place, the fertilizers significantly enhance the productivity, quality, and resilience of tuber crops, helping them resist drought, pests, diseases, and stress.
Efficient Nutrient Utilization: Tailored fertilizer regimes ensure efficient and sustainable nutrient utilization in the cropping system, supporting root development, tuber filling, and crop health.
Improved Agronomic Efficiency: The use of inorganic fertilizers on improved varieties of sweet potato and cassava results in stable and larger yields, enhancing the overall efficiency of crop production.
Customized Nutrient Formulas: Blending a wide range of solid granular fertilizers allows for the creation of specific nutrient formulas, including the addition of micronutrients like zinc, boron, and copper, addressing additional deficiencies and enhancing the production of sweet potato and cassava crops.