University of Guelph
Ntokozo James Mpofu
ESN for Nepal
"one hectare at a time"
Nepal
• located in South Asia.
• landlocked and
bordered between
China and India.
• has a population of
27.8 Million people.
• capital city is
Kathmandu.
Nepal Geography and Land use at a glance
• Total area of the nation is 147,181 sq. km.
- area consists of mountainous, hill and Terai terrain.
• Land use:
• arable land - 16% (land cultivated for crops like wheat, maize and
rice that are replanted after each harvest.)
• permanent crops - 0.8% (land cultivated for crops that are not
replanted after each harvest such as citrus, coffee and rubber, as
well as plants such as fruit trees and shrubs.)
• other - 83.2% (all other land that is not arable or under permanent
crops such as permanent meadows, pastures, forests and
woodlands, buit-on areas, roads, barren land, etc.)
Agriculture in Nepal
Agriculture in Nepal
• Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy.
• Over 70% of the country's population is engaged in Agriculture for
livelihood.
• Agriculture accounts for at least one third of the GDP
(Gross Domestic Product - value of all final goods and services produced within a
nation in a given year)
• Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural
products, including pulses, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain.
Nitrogen Fertilizers
• Nitrogen is a natural element found in the atmosphere.
• Makes up 16% of proteins that plants need for growth
and survival.
• Increase in both population and food demands globally,
have increased the use of nitrogen fertilizers by farmers.
Enhanced Efficiency Nitrogen Fertilizers (EEF):
Environmentally Smart Nitrogen
Environmentally Smart Nitrogen
• Created and developed by
Agrium Advanced Technologies,
headquartered in Calgary
Alberta.
• Uses polymer coated Nitrogen
granules (patented!).
• N release is controlled by soil
moisture and temperature.
How does it work...?
ESN: how it works
•
Water moves into the polymer coated urea granules.
•
N dissolves in the solution inside the granule.
•
N exits through the polymer coating into the soil solution.
Note - factors such as field location, soil type and weather conditions are to be considered when applying ESN.
ESN Benefits to Nepal
Benefits to Nepal
•
ESN could supply readily available N needed to grow paddy*
with minimal N loss due to volatilization, and leaching.
*Paddy (unmilled rice) is Nepal's highest produced cereal crop and is
grown on more than a million hectares of arable land area.
•
ESN responds and releases N based on soil temperatures thus
providing N to crops when needed. (suitable for a warm and
wet climate such as that of Nepal)
•
A safe alternative to urea and other natural urea sources and
can be top-dress applied to crops, with low burn potential.
•
Diversity of crops and increase in yields can boost agrisystems, create export opportunities to the growing
neighbouring nations of China and India, and sustain the
Nepalese economy.
Benefits to Canada
Benefits to Canada
•
Agrium Advanced Technologies can establish awareness and
promote the eco-friendly benefits of using the Canadian made N
fertilizer in Nepal.
• Inclines in Nepal's agricultural production may result in increased
demand of other agri-system inputs such as machinery made in
Canada, and reinforce bilateral trade.
- Canada mainly exports machinery as well as vegetables amongst
other products to Nepal, and imports textile garments and apparel.
• Other developing nations may be interested in importing ESN as
well and boost Canadian revenue.
Challenges
• The cost of ESN to Nepalese farmers once import related charges
are accounted for may be expensive.
• Urea is a cheaper source of Nitrogen commonly used in Nepal and
agronomists would need practical evidence of long term benefits of
using ESN instead.
• Competition from China and India in the supply of cheaper N
fertilizers.
However...
Nepal could increase both the diversity of
crop yields and profitablity in the nation's
agricultural sector by using a Canadian
product that is environmentally smart, in
the light of current global warming
concerns.
References
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. (2012). Canadian farm fuel and fertilizer: prices and expenses.
Market Outlook Report, 4 (1). Retrieved from http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/industry-markets-andtrade/statistics-and-market-information/by-product-sector/crops/crops-market-informationcanadian-industry/market-outlook-report/canadian-farm-fuel-and-fertilizerprices-and-expensesmarch-2012/?id=1378845446435
Agrium Inc. Smart Nitrogen. (2014). What is esn [Product information]. Available from
http://www.smartnitrogen.com/what-is-esn
Agrium Inc. Wholesale (2014). Agricultural specialties [Product information]. Available from
http://www.agriumwholesale.com/about_us/agricultural_specialties.jsp
Frink, C. R., Waggoner, P. E. & Ausubel, J. H., (1999). Nitrogen Fertilizer: Retrospect and Prospect.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 96, No. 4,
1175-1180.
Index Mundi. (2014). Nepal economy - overview [Data]. Available from
http://www.indexmundi.com/nepal/economy_overview.html
Index Mundi. (2014). Nepal land use [Data]. Available from
http://www.indexmundi.com/nepal/land_use.html
Ntokozo James Mpofu
University of Guelph in partnership with IDRC CIFSRF and
DFAIT
Faculty Sponsor: Prof. Manish Raizada
(raizada@uoguelph.ca)
Total presentation time: 5m30sec
Thank you!!