In an exclusive interview with Industry Outlook, Sanjiv Kanwar, Managing Director of Yara South Asia, gives pointers on how Indian crop yields can be multiplied by leveraging the latest innovations in crop nutrition. He has over three decades of professional experience and significant executive leadership accomplishments. He has also established three successful organizations specializing in crop nutrition.
With 40% of Indian soils nutrient-deficient, what actions are essential to utilize global innovations in crop nutrition to address these challenges effectively?
The soil map for India reveals significant crop nutrient deficiencies across the country, with key micronutrients like boron, zinc, magnesium, and iron lacking in many regions. This widespread soil depletion has profound consequences for agriculture, particularly as these deficiencies serve as limiting factors for crop productivity. In practical terms, this results in lower yield per acre and diminished nutritional quality in crops. Currently, India's crop yields are about 50% of global averages for major commodities like rice, wheat, soybeans, and sugarcane. This productivity gap means that Indian agriculture consumes two to three times more natural resources compared to nations such as China, the U.S., and the EU, underscoring an urgent need to address soil health.
A critical step towards this goal is the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices among Indian farmers, including balanced crop nutrition—applying the right nutrients at the correct stage. However, regulatory challenges hinder access to the latest global innovations in agriculture, many of which could address these soil deficiencies. In India, it can take three to five years to introduce a new fertilizer or soil amendment product, while such products are readily available globally. A World Bank survey of 101 countries ranked India 97th in ease of business for agriculture, highlighting the significant delays in product registration. With an average registration time of 897 days, the regulatory process creates a barrier to innovation, delaying farmers’ access to essential products for improved soil health and productivity.
The impacts of these delays are multi-faceted. Economically, low productivity limits income potential for farmers. Moreover, poor soil quality results in nutritionally deficient crops, which affects public health. For instance, nearly 40% of Indian children are zinc deficient, contributing to high rates of stunting. The link is clear: nutrient-poor soil leads to nutrient-poor food, which directly impacts human health.
Therefore, India’s regulatory framework urgently needs reform to facilitate agricultural innovation. Shortening the registration process would allow companies to introduce beneficial products more quickly, enabling farmers to enhance productivity and nutritional quality in crops. For India’s agricultural sector to thrive, it must be encouraged to innovate rather than face prolonged uncertainty. Modernizing these regulations is essential for India’s agricultural growth and for tackling the pressing challenges of food security and nutrition in the country.
As biostimulants gain popularity worldwide, which specific technologies do you believe could benefit Indian farmers, and how can we encourage their adoption in traditional practices?
India presents a vast potential for bio-stimulants and biologicals in agriculture, especially as these products complement mineral fertilizers to enhance crop yield and quality. At Jihara, we believe in a full-spectrum approach to fertilization, integrating both mineral and bio-stimulant components. However, a major challenge in promoting bio-stimulants in India lies within the regulatory framework. Current regulations require bio-stimulants to undergo extensive field trials, typically over two to three growing seasons, which slows down farmers' access to these beneficial products.
Bio-stimulants in India often include seaweed-based or organo-mineral products, which combine organic elements with essential minerals. These products can create substantial value for farmers, aiding crop growth and resilience. Additionally, bio-stimulants can be applied as coatings on standard fertilizers like urea, DAP, and NPK blends. When used as a coating, bio-stimulants can help control the nutrient release rate, reducing nitrogen losses through leaching and volatilization, thereby improving nutrient use efficiency. Coated fertilizers also help plants withstand abiotic stress, such as drought or high temperatures, more effectively.
The potential benefits of bio-stimulants—ranging from improved nutrient retention to enhanced crop resilience—make them highly suitable for Indian agriculture. Embracing these innovations could significantly boost productivity and sustainability for Indian farmers. However, for these advancements to reach their full impact, regulatory support is needed to streamline access and approval processes.
Given climate change's challenges, how can climate-responsive fertilizers enhance crop resilience in India, and what innovations are necessary for their successful implementation?
To address the climate impact of fertilizers in India, we must focus on reducing their carbon footprint as part of a broader commitment to sustainable agriculture. In India, agriculture accounts for approximately 24% of the nation's emissions, with a notable 13% coming from fertilizers alone. To reduce this, our approach at Yara emphasizes transitioning to low-carbon fertilizers, optimizing production efficiency, and focusing on regenerative agriculture practices.
Regenerative Agriculture: This approach is foundational. By improving soil health, enhancing nutrient use efficiency, managing water resources, and promoting biodiversity, farm productivity can be increased while minimizing environmental impact. For example, nutrient sufficiency—delivering the right nutrients at the right time based on crop needs—is crucial. This prevents over-fertilization, which can lead to excessive emissions and waste. Farmers are educated on crop nutrition programs to match the crop’s life cycle, reducing unnecessary fertilizer use.
Low-Carbon Production: Efficient production methods are essential to lowering emissions from fertilizers. For instance, at Yara’s urea plant in India, recent investments to improve gas efficiency by 10% have cut emissions by around 70,000 tons of carbon annually. Yara’s fertilizers, including our NPK and calcium nitrate products from Europe, are designed to have a low carbon footprint, providing an inherently more sustainable option for farmers.
Collaboration with Dairy and Paddy Sectors: Given that dairy and paddy fields are significant contributors to emissions, we’re partnering with leading dairy companies to improve feed quality and reduce methane emissions from livestock. By supplying low-carbon fertilizers and implementing nutrition sufficiency, we’ve seen improvements in feed quality, reduced waste, and increased milk yield, contributing to overall sustainability. Additionally, with the paddy sector, we are working on direct-seeded rice (DSR) techniques with seed companies. This method lowers emissions by reducing water use and methane release.
Scale-Up for Impact: Expanding these programs could significantly impact emissions reduction. For example, scaling DSR practices across extensive areas (up to 1 million acres over the next 3-5 years) could lead to meaningful reductions in emissions associated with rice production.
These actions represent Yara's commitment to combating climate change through low-carbon fertilizers and integrated, knowledge-backed agricultural practices that support both environmental and economic goals.
Over the next five years, what transformative changes do you envision in crop nutrition in India, driven by global innovations for enhanced productivity and sustainability?
India has an immense opportunity to increase its agricultural exports, currently at $40 billion compared to $200 billion in the US, by leveraging FTAs, such as with Qatar, to provide fresh produce to the Middle East. With strategic infrastructure use (airports, ports) and technological improvements, India could shorten delivery times and supply the region’s food needs, securing a stable export market.
There's a strong case for opening up regulatory pathways to allow Indian farmers access to globally available, advanced, low-carbon fertilizers and other agricultural products. If these inputs are made accessible, they could significantly reduce India's agricultural carbon footprint and enhance crop yield and quality.
The adoption of digital technology could transform farming practices by allowing real-time, highly targeted advisory services based on satellite mapping and soil health data. Such technology would enable farmers to apply precise amounts of nutrients based on soil requirements, thereby optimizing fertilizer usage and enhancing crop productivity.
India’s adoption of fertigation (integrated fertilizer and irrigation systems) could expand from fruits and vegetables to other broad-acre crops like sugarcane and corn. Digital control systems tied to soil health data could further optimize water and nutrient usage, enhancing productivity while conserving natural resources.
