Chapter 29 - Present scenario of bio-fertilizer production and marketing around the globe

Abstract

The continuously increasing population of the world has put huge pressure on agricultural lands along with other natural resources to produce more food. The growing use of chemical fertilizer in agriculture could make the country self-dependent on food production but, on the contrary, it deteriorates the environment and human health. During the green revolution, remarkable food production was noticed in which concern for sustainability was overlooked. Dependence on inorganic fertilizers for future agriculture growth would mean further losses in soil quality, possibilities of groundwater contamination, and environmental pollution. Bio-fertilizer/bio-enhancer has been identified as an alternative approach for increasing soil fertility, soil health, and crop production in an eco-friendly manner. Bio-fertilizers offer a biological rescue system capable of mobilizing nutrients from non-usable form to usable form and make it available to the plants for nutrition. With the increasing awareness about the role of microbes in maintaining soil fertility, bio-fertilizers are being produced and used worldwide to increase the crop yield and to maintain soil health. The global bio-fertilizer market was worth more than the US $1.8 Billion in 2018, growing at a CAGR of around 14.3% during 2011–2018. As the use of bio-fertilizers is mandatory in organic farming, the bio-fertilizer market is experiencing strong growth all over the world. Extensive efforts are required to investigate the success/failure issues for the application of bio-fertilizers in Indian context emphasizing the need for the high degree of innovation and active participation in innovative scientific research and development, public demonstration programs to enhance the extra-potential of sustainable product development without deteriorating soil health as well as encouraging private organization and new policymakers to take the intense role in the production and marketing of bio-fertilizer in various cereal and legume crops. Another major factor driving the demand of bio-fertilizers is the increasing implementation of regulatory policies by various governments that favor the use of bio-fertilizers. Currently, nitrogen-fixing bio-fertilizers represent the biggest segment of the global bio-fertilizer market followed by phosphate fixing bio-fertilizers.