Through a variety of methods, including advocacy, promotion, training, research and development, IFDC strengthens the market systems that provide access to, and promote the more efficient use of fertilizer products. This effort builds stronger linkages between farmers, agro-dealers, input suppliers, financial institutions, fertilizer manufacturers and distributors and others along the agricultural value chain.
As an ongoing component of this process, IFDC is often requested to develop and promote legislative and regulatory policy changes that create convenient and affordable access to fertilizer. Once governmental policies are in place, IFDC works with the private sector to build effective agro-input dealer networks.
IFDC also helps build capacities to produce fertilizer by conducting research on the exploration and construction of production facilities to process indigenous sources of fertilizer raw materials. To maximize the effect of newly increased market capacities, IFDC marketing information services are integrated with distribution and policy efforts to provide access to the most current fertilizer market data.
Research and extension services are critical to developing successful fertilizer markets. IFDC works closely with extension agents, promoting the education about, and adoption of, new technologies that combine the participatory development of technological packages with measures that facilitate institutional progress. IFDC helps farmer, producer and agro-dealer organizations develop organizational and financial capacities. Fertilizer supply and the production and marketing of agricultural produce are all instrumental in the transition to more successful and sustainable agricultural production.
Other areas of fertilizer market development include:
- Agro-dealer development
- Farmer and agro-dealer association building to create better leverage in fertilizer price negotiations
- Training programs at farmer, dealer, extension and enterprise levels
- Private enterprise development
- Working with financial institutions to create micro-financing and smart subsidy programs
- Creating national and multinational institutional policy and regulatory environments that are favorable to fertilizer manufacture and distribution