Fertilizers and Food Production

Historically, other than the domestication of plants and animals, no agricultural innovation has increased food production capability more than manufactured fertilizers. Fertilizers provide plants with the nutrients they need for their growth and development. Of the 17 nutrients essential for plant growth, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are most likely to be deficient and needed in the largest quantities. In addition, plants also need other nutrients in much smaller amounts, and they are referred to as secondary (calcium, magnesium, and sulfur) and micronutrients (boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc). Since the 1970s, the global fertilizer (NPK) consumption increased from less than 50 million metric tons (mt) in 1970 to about 190 million mt in 2013. During this period, global cereal production has nearly doubled, increasing from 1400 million metric tons (mt) in 1970 to over 2600 million mt in 2013.

The United Nations projects that, by 2050, the world will have 2.4 billion more inhabitants from the current level of 7.2 billion. Given the dietary changes, 70% more food needs to be produced. This increase must be achieved under land and water constraints and climate change. Fertilizer will be one of the keys to achieving these targets. However once-impressive responses to fertilizer application to staple crops are tapering off due to several factors including insufficient secondary and micronutrients in soils.

The N and P fertilizer products, available in various formulations, have not changed much since they were developed in the 1960s and 1970s. To meet the future challenge of producing nutritious food for the expanding population, new, economically viable fertilizers are needed with nutrient-release properties matching plants’ requirements.