Brings Technology Package to Farmers
On Nov. 6, 2014, IFDC and Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI) Ltd. signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) to promote the packaging of two yield-enhancing technologies: FDP and
improved seeds. IFDC and ACI are collaborating to improve farmers’ access to this technology
package across parts of the AAPI project area. The MoU was signed by Ishrat Jahan, AAPI chief
of party, and Dr. F.H. Ansari, executive director of Agribusiness, ACI Ltd.
The MoU promotes the packaging of yield-enhancing technologies in AAPI Feed the Future
(FTF) zones. Since its inception, the USAID-funded project has been promoting the use of
FDP, a fertilizer technology that, when made with only urea (thus known as UDP), increases
rice yields while reducing nitrogen pollution. AAPI and ACI Ltd. will work together during the
2014-2015 Boro season to establish demonstration plots to show farmers the benefits of using
quality seed along with UDP. Pending success of the joint activities, the partnership could
expand to implementation beyond the 2014-2015 Boro season.
Urea deep placement is currently used by an estimated 2 million Bangladeshi rice farmers. The
technology offers a host of benefits including decreased fertilizer use, increased yields and
fewer greenhouse gas emissions. As UDP has been expanding to other crops – often at the
suggestion of smallholder farmers – with positive results, AAPI hopes to expand this success
to seed farming. According to Josh DeWald, director of IFDC’s EurAsia Division, “The idea is
to work with seed companies to use FDP for quality seed production on their own seed farms;
and, down the line, to get to the point where seed companies are promoting FDP use with
their seed retail operations.”
IFDC Magazine
12
Photo: Ishrat
Jahan, AAPI chief
of party, and
Dr. F.H. Ansarai
executive director
of Agribusiness,
ACI Ltd., sign the
memorandum of
understanding.