IFFCO REACHES TO KUTTAND FARMERS TO PROMOTE NANO UREA LIQUID
WHY IN NEWS:
- IFFCO, the cooperative fertiliser company, has reached out to farmers in Kuttanad – the rice bowl ofKerala – through a boat campaign to popularise its nano urea liquid.
- Kuttanad is a region covering Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts.
- The cooperative fertiliser company is also conducting campaigns to attract paddy farmers.
ABOUT FARMING IN KUTTAND AREA:
- Kuttanad Wetland Agriculture System is unique, as it is the only system in India that favours rice cultivation below sea level in the land created by draining delta swamps in brackish waters.
- As an approach to cope with the imminent climate impacts in coastal areas and evolve efficient methods it aims to deal with soil availability and floods issues in agriculture.
- The Kuttanad system is a complex mosaic of fragmented agricultural landscapes divided in three structures: wetlands used for paddy activities and fish catching, garden lands used for coconut, tubers and food crops plantation and water areas used as inland fishing and shells.
- Wetlands are created thanks to the construction of polders with bunds and its dewatering.
- Facing a severe pollution of waters due to the tourism but also to the use of chemicals, the protection of this fragile and unique system from any external pressure is important and urgent for humanity as it is essential for maintaining and enhancing so much endemic biodiversity and several vital ecosystem services for human well-being worldwide.
WHAT IS NANO UREA:
- Nano urea is a potential component of 4 R nutrient stewardship as it promotes precision and sustainable agriculture.
- It promotes clean and green technology as its industrial production is neither energy intensive or resource consuming.
- Nano Urea confirms to Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India guidelines for evaluation of Nano Agri-input products (NAIPs).
- These guidelines are harmonised as per approved international norms & OECD protocols.
- Nano Urea has been declared safe for the user and the environment as per tests conducted by NABL accredited and GLP certified laboratories.
- Nano Urea therefore, stands as a promising, sustainable and environmental friendly solution to conventional bulk nitrogenous fertilizers like Urea.
BENEFITS OF NANO UREA:
- Average Yield increase up to 8% have been recorded as per 11,000 field trials conducted across India during 2019-20
- Higher crop yields are observed due to enhanced chlorophyll and photosynthesis and increase in root biomass and number of effective tillers /branches etc.
- IFFCO Nano Urea leads to increase in farmers’ income due to:
- Reduction in Input Cost
- Higher Crop Yield
- Better Price because of better Quality crop.
- Average increase in income of Rs 2k- 4k per acre have been registered as per Farmer Field trials
- Nutritional quality of harvested produce is better in terms of protein and nutrient content
- Crops harvested using IFFCO Nano Urea are safe for consumption
- IFFCO Nano Urea rationalizes application of bulk nitrogenous fertilizers like Urea
- Enhanced use efficiency of one bottle (500 ml) of IFFCO Nano Urea can potentially replace at least 1 bag of conventional urea
- Production of IFFCO Nano Urea is energy and resource friendly
- It reduces excess application of bulk urea and associated volatilization as well as leaching and run off losses
- IFFCO Nano Urea has a significant impact in terms of relative logistics and warehousing cost
- Farmers can easily carry bottles of Nano Urea physically over bulky Urea bags
About IFFCO:
- Founded in – 1967
- D. and C.E.O- Dr. U. S. Awasthi
- Headquarters- new delhi
- Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited, also known as IFFCO, is a multi-state cooperative society engaged in the business of manufacturing and marketing of fertilisers .
- It is today the biggest co-op in the world by turnover on GDP per capita, with around 35,000 member cooperatives reaching over 50 million Indian farmers.
- IFFCO being featured in the report is the testament of Indian Cooperatives’ zeal towards realizing the mission of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Atmanirbhar Krishi while promoting the Make in India project, the statement said.
- Driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Sahakar Se Samridhi, IFFCO continues to push towards innovation with the successful launch of nanotechnology.