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 In Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Vietnam,
the Adapting Nutrient Management Technologies (ANMAT) project is
promoting the adoption of balanced fertilizer use and improved
efficiency of fertilization. Dr. Walter T. Bowen, IFDC Resident Project
Coordinator—ANMAT II, works with NGOs and extension services to
demonstrate the benefits of deep-placed USG for rice production. In
addition to increasing the incomes of poor farmers, the improved
practices are more protective of the environment. A national survey in
Bangladesh during 2004 showed that more than 1,800 briquette-making
machines have been manufactured and sold and that more than 550,000 rice
farmers were using UDP technology in their fields. The latest evaluation
of 530 on-farm trials comparing this technology and the farmers’
practice of broadcasting urea clearly demonstrates how UDP technology
can help farmers produce more rice, decrease the amount of urea
fertilizer that they are applying, and improve their standard of living.
During 2000-2004 the UDP technology
increased paddy yields by 900-1,100 kg/ha (depending on the cropping
season), decreased urea use by 78-150 kg urea/ha, and subsequently
increased profits by US $116-$137/ha. Affordable briquette-making
machines are continually being manufactured and sold in Bangladesh,
which is helping to meet new demand as more farmers adopt the
technology.
Various activities such as workshops and
study tours aid in the dissemination of UDP technology. Examples of
these activities that were conducted in Bangladesh, Cambodia, and
Vietnam are as follows:
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ANMAT and the
Bangladesh Department of Agricultural Extension conducted a one-day
national seminar on UDP that attracted over 200 farmers, NGO staff,
urea-briquette producers, researchers, and extension leaders from all
over Bangladesh. The title of the workshop was “Urea Deep Placement
Technology: Prospects for Poverty Alleviation and Food Security in
Bangladesh”. The Minister of Agriculture, Mr. M. K. Anwar, was Chief
Guest and speaker.
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Study tours were
arranged for visitors from Nigeria, Pakistan and Sri Lanka who are
interested in adapting UDP technology in their respective countries.
One briquette-making machine was exported to Pakistan.
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Farmers in Vietnam
and Cambodia are experimenting with deep placement of multi-nutrient
briquettes (NPK) and obtaining yield benefits with reduced levels of
fertilization. In many cases these are farmers who have traditionally
applied little or no fertilizer, and their yields have at least
doubled with fertilizer deep placement. When compared with broadcast
fertilizer applications, the deep placement of multinutrient
briquettes increased yields by 25%. In Vietnam, about 4,000 farmers
have used fertilizer briquettes, and at least three manufacturers have
begun producing briquette-making machines.
Return to Soil & Nutrient Dynamics --->
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