Fertilizer Subsidy Research Articles

A Study on Farmers’ Use Efficiency of Soil Health Card in Rangareddy District of Telangana State, India

Soil is natural non-renewable resources on human time scale which is the foundation for sustainable agriculture. In view of this, Global soil partnership was conducted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization at its headquarters in Rome, Italy, from 7 to 9 September 2011. With this, Government of India had launched the Soil Health Card Scheme (SHCs) in 2015. The scheme main objective is to distribute SHCs to each farmer in the country with advanced technologies such as GPS-enabled tablets and mass testing, along with better fertilizer subsidy policies. The research study was conducted during 2019-2020 to analyse farmers’ Use efficiency of SHC. Data was collected using a standardised and pre-tested interview schedule. It was revealed that slightly more than the three fifth SHC holders had partially used of overall use efficiency on SHC information (60.83 %), followed by not used (20.00 %) and fully used (19.17 %) of overall use efficiency on SHC information, respectively. All profile characteristics of farmers except mass media exposure had a significant to highly significant association with regard to use efficiency of SHCs. The results also revealed that there is a significant association between attitude and use efficiency (chi-square value 29.66).

Is fertilizer demand elastic to its own price? Assessing the consequences of fertilizer subsidy policy in Bangladesh

Is fertilizer demand elastic to its own price? Assessing the consequences of fertilizer subsidy policy in Bangladesh

A Study on Farmer’s Constraints in Utilizing Soil Health Card and Suggestions to Overcome in Rangareddy District of Telangana State

Agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy and primary source of income of larger part of Indian population. In view of this, Global soil partnership was conducted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization at its headquarters in Rome, Italy, from 7 to 9 September 2011. With this, Government of India had launched the Soil Health Card Scheme in 2015 to distribute soil health cards (SHCs) to each farmer with advanced technologies such as GPS-enabled tablets and mass testing, along with better fertilizer subsidy policies. The present study was conducted in two blocks namely Shabad and Kothur of Rangareddy district of Telangana State during the year 2019-2020 to analyse farmers constraints in utilizing soil health card and suggestions to overcome. Ex-post-facto-research design was used for the study. Data was collected using a standardised and pre-tested interview schedule. Unavailability of bio-fertilizers to follow recommended combinations (Rank I), labours were not capable to understand the balanced fertilizers application use (Rank II), cost of recommended inputs (Rank III) and delay in distribution of soil health cards (Rank IV) were being the major constraints experienced by farmers. Important suggestions offered by the farmers for the effective usage of soil health cards are: Government could organize awareness training programs to farmers about soil health cards (Rank I), to increase the credibility of the soil health card, soil sampling should be done in presence of farmers. (Rank II), the interpretation of the results on soil health cards need to be made simpler with visual charts (Rank III) and making the availability of recommended inputs in market (Rank IV). Need to be viewed seriously by making the availability of bio-fertilizers as per recommended combinations by the agricultural department and appropriate actions to be taken for timely distributing of cards and appropriate time to win the confidence of the farmers.

Impacts of fertilizer subsidy reform options in Iran: an assessment using a Regional Crop Programming model

The aim of this paper is to assess the potential impacts of different fertilizer subsidy reform options on the performance of the Iranian crops production sector. This is achieved using a Regional Crop Programming (RCP) model, based on Positive Mathematical Programming, which includes in total 14 crop activities and encompasses 31 administrative regions. The RCP model is a collection of micro-economic models, working with exogenous prices, each representing the optimal crop allocation at the regional level. The model is calibrated against observed data on crop acreage, yield responses to nitrogen application, and exogenous supply elasticities. Simulation results show that a total removal of nitrogen fertilizer subsidies would affect the competitiveness of crops with the highest nitrogen application rates and lead to a slight reduction of national agricultural income, at approximately 1%. This effect, which is more pronounced at the regional level, is driven by area reallocation rather than land productivity. The reallocation of nitrogen fertilizer subsidy to only strategic crops boost their production and income but increase disparity among regions and affects negatively welfare compared to the current universal fertilizer program. The transfer efficiency analysis shows that both target and universal simulated options are inefficient with an efficiency score below one.

Reforming China’s fertilizer policies: implications for nitrogen pollution reduction and food security

Reactive nitrogen (N) is a requisite nutrient for agricultural production, but results in greenhouse gas and air and water pollution. The environmental and economic impacts of N fertilizer use in China are particularly relevant, as China consumes the largest amount of N fertilizer in the world to meet its soaring food demand. Here, we use an agro-economic land system model (MAgPIE) in combination with a difference-in-differences econometric model to provide a forward-looking assessment of China’s fertilizer policies in terms of removing fertilizer manufacturing subsidies and implementing measures to improve agricultural nutrient management efficiency. Our model results indicate that enhancing soil N uptake efficiency and manure recycled to soil alongside fertilizer subsidy removal can largely reduce N fertilizer use and N losses and abate N pollution in the short and long term, while food security remains largely unaffected. Enhancing soil N uptake efficiency appears to be decisive to achieving China’s national strategic target of zero growth in N fertilizer use. This study also finds that improving agricultural nutrient management efficiency contributes to higher land productivity and less cropland expansion, with substantial benefits for the environment and food security.

Effectiveness of Subsidised Fertilizer Distribution on Corn Farming in South Ogan Komering Ulu District


 
 
 
 The main objective of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of the distribution of subsidized fertilizers in corn farming in the South OKU District. Analyzing the effectiveness of subsidized fertilizer distribution is to use the scoring method and to see the correlation between the effectiveness of subsidized fertilizer distribution and corn production, the Spearman correlation coefficient is a nonparametric statistic. Based on the results of the study, it was found that the average level of effectiveness of the six indicators was 75.25%. From the results of the percentage of the six indicators that are greater than 61% and less than 80%, the fertilizer subsidy policy of the South OKU District is said to be quite effective. The relationship between the effectiveness of the distribution of subsidized fertilizers on corn production in South OKU District. there is no significant relationship with a significance value greater than the value, which is 0.336>0.05. Based on the results of the correlation test of the effectiveness of the distribution of subsidized fertilizers with corn production, the indicators of price effectiveness and type have a unidirectional relationship. While the indicators of the effectiveness of place, time, quality, and quantity have a non-unidirectional relationship.
 
 
 
 

A Study on Farmers’ Perception on Soil Health Card in Rangareddy District of Telangana State

Agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy and primary source of income of larger part of Indian population. In view of this, Global soil partnership was conducted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization at its headquarters in Rome, Italy, from 7 to 9 September 2011. With this, Government of India had launched the Soil Health Card Scheme in 2015. The scheme main objective is to distribute soil health cards (SHCs) to each farmer in the country with advanced technologies such as GPS-enabled tablets and mass testing, along with better fertilizer subsidy policies. The soil samples were tested in laboratories across the India. Government conducted soil testing and issued soil health cards that carry crop specific recommendations of fertilizers required to enable more judicious use of fertilizers to improve productivity and decline cost of cultivation. The present study was conducted in two blocks namely Shabad and Kothur of Rangareddy district of Telangana State during the year 2019-2020 to analyse farmers’ perception on soil health card. Data was collected using a standardised and pre-tested interview schedule. It was observed that majority of the SHC holders were having moderate perception (71.66%), followed by good (15.00%) and poor perception (13.33%). All profile characteristics of farmers except mass media exposure and innovativeness had significant to highly significant association with regard to perception. The results also revealed that there is a significant association between perception and attitude (chi-square value 44.01) and between attitude and use efficiency (chi-square value 29.66).

Articulating fertilizer subsidy effects on women’s diet quality by food supply source in Mali

BackgroundMali’s fertilizer subsidy program aims to reduce food insecurity among the nation’s predominantly rural people by jump-starting productivity gains of major crops. This paper contributes to sparse evidence regarding its effects.MethodsTheory predicts that agricultural productivity can affect diet quality directly through two channels. The production channel influences the availability of food for household consumption or sale. The income pathway, resulting from sales, leads to household food expenditure. We test this hypothesis by applying propensity score matching methods to farm household survey data collected from 2400 households in Mali in 2018.ResultsWe find that the overall effect of the fertilizer subsidy on women’s dietary diversity is positive in the Niger Delta and negative on the Koutiala Plateau. Further examination by food supply source reveals no subsidy effects on the dietary diversity provided by on-farm production in either zone. The subsidy negatively influences dietary diversity of foods sourced as gifts in the Niger Delta. Subsidy effects on dietary diversity accessed through food purchases are strong and positive in the Niger Delta, but negative on the Koutiala Plateau. The Koutiala Plateau is found in the region of Sikasso, where rising incomes from cotton production, which is the major export crop of the region and of the nation, have been shown not to alleviate poverty and malnutrition (a dilemma known as the “Sikasso Paradox”).ConclusionsOur approach reveals that additional income from increased yields stimulated by subsidized fertilizer can enable off-farm purchases of more nutritious food and thereby improve nutritional outcomes for women.

Evaluation of Subsidized Fertilizer Distribution to Corn Farmers in Ogan Komering Ulu Regency

This study reviewed the Evaluation of Subsidized Fertilizer Distribution in Corn Farmers in Ogan Komering Ulu Regency, South Sumatra Province. This research aims to analyze the distribution of subsidized fertilizer from producers to farmers of corn crops whether it is following the applicable rules, and to analyze the constraints in the distribution of subsidized fertilizer to corn crop farmers in Ogan Komering Ulu Regency, South Sumatra Province. The research method used is the survey method. The respondents of the study were corn farmers in Ogan Komering Ulu Regency as many as 105 people. Data analysis uses quantitative descriptive analysis techniques with the help of Likers Approximation by using scores on each question item in the questionnaire by making the highest answer to the highest answer "1" precise and lowest score "0", Not Exactly. The data that has been indicated is then determined by the overall questionnaire percentage by grouping the data by the type of statement. Furthermore, the results obtained are interpreted using the percentage category based on the criteria for assessing the accuracy of subsidized fertilizer distribution, and using Quantitative Descriptive Analysis with the help of the Problem List Table is to use an alternative answer on each question item in the questionnaire by making an alternative "Yes" answer and an authentic "No" answer. The data that has been indicated is then determined by the overall questionnaire percentage by grouping the data by the type of statement. Furthermore, the results are interpreted using the percentage category based on the criteria for assessing the constraints of subsidized fertilizer distribution. The results of this study found that the implementation of subsidized fertilizer distribution at the research site, namely Ogan Komering Ulu Regency, especially in Lengkiti District, East Baturaja District, and Sosoh Buay Rayap District has been carried out following the implementation instructions that have been set. But there are still problems that occur such as the Highest Retail Price (HIDR) and the use of Farmer Cards that have not been implemented in the field. Fertilizer subsidy policies are measured in six precise indicators, type, quantity, price, place, time, and quality. Based on the six indicators, 2 indicators of place and quality are categorized very precisely / according to the rule, while for 2 indicators of the type and the quantity can be categorized appropriately / quite according to the rule. Timely indicators can be categorized as inappropriate / not following the rules, while the price indicators for fertilizer subsidy policies can be categorized as inappropriate/very not following the rules due to the problem of price gaps in subsidized fertilizers in farmers, Line III (distributors) sell subsidized fertilizers above the Highest Retail Price (HRP) to Line IV (official kiosks) because there are additional transportation and loading and unloading costs and purchases with a pay system after harvest. Thus causing retailers to also sell subsidized fertilizer to farmers above the Highest Retail Price (HRP).

Administration of Rice Input Subsidy Programme on Quality Life of Farming Communities in North B District, Unguja

This study investigated the administration of rice input subsidy on the quality life of farmers among farming communities in North B, District, Unguja. Four objectives guided this study which included examining the correlation between rice farming subsidies and the quality of life, examining the impact of seeds subsidies and farmers’ quality life, determining the impact of fertilizers subsidies on farmers’ quality of life as well as to examine the impact of pesticides subsidies on farmers’ quality of life in North B District, Unguja. The study used a cross-sectional survey design where questionnaires were used to collect data from 87 rice farmers of North B, district Unguja through simple random sampling. The study reveals a moderate correlation between rice input subsidies and farmers’ quality life (r = 0.475, p < 0.01). Moreover, a standard multiple regression indicates that the independent variables rice input subsidies (fertilizers, seeds and pesticides) accounted for 25% of the variability in predicting quality life among farming communities in North B district, Unguja (R2 = 0.247). Primarily, pesticide subsidy, has a significant effect or impact on farmers’ quality life (β = 0.352, t = 2.183, p < 0.05). However, the results also indicate that two independent variables that are fertiliser subsidy (β = 0.050, t = 0.201, p > 0.05) and seeds subsidy (β = 0.119, t = 0.470, p > 0.05) do not have any significant impact on farmers’ quality life. With this result, the study recommends that the government support rice farmers by increasing the provision of more rice input subsidies such as fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds to rice farmers of Northern, B District of Unguja timely manner to improve their quality of life.

Effect of Nigeria’s e-voucher input subsidy program on fertilizer use, rice production, and household income

Nigeria introduced an e-voucher fertilizer subsidy program that distributes vouchers directly to a beneficiary’s mobile phone for enhancing agricultural productivity and food security by changing land use from extensive to intensive farming. By using panel data on rice-growing households in 2012 and 2014 and applying a household fixed effects approach and inverse probability weighting methods, we assess whether and how much the e-voucher program increases fertilizer application on rice production. We do not find evidence that the program results in higher fertilizer application. This is because there is a strong crowding-out effect in the study areas in which the private fertilizer market is active. This finding suggests that introducing a potentially innovative device is not sufficient to boost agricultural production and food security.

Using Statistical Models to Estimate Economic Optimum Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate for Wheat, Safflower, and Canola before and after Fertilizer Subsidy Programs in Iran

ABSTRACT Optimum use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers is necessary to achieve maximum profitability by farmers and to minimize the risks of environmental pollution. In this study, we used three statistical models to predict the grain yield response of wheat, safflower, and canola to N fertilizer based on combined data from 38 field experiments. Meanwhile, based on the yield response functions and fertilizer-to-product price ratios, the economic optimum N fertilizer rate for each crop for 2009 (before targeting subsidies) and 2015 (after targeting subsidies) was estimated. According to quadratic, exponential, and square root models, 82.5, 90, and 76 kg N ha−1 was estimated to be required for maximum agronomic yield of safflower. More than 300 kg N ha−1 was estimated by all three models to obtain the maximum agronomic yield of canola. In contrast with the government policies for reducing N fertilizer application rates by farmers, due to low fertilizer-to-product price ratios, all application rates of N fertilizer were economic for wheat production even after targeting subsidies. According to the results, to achieve the optimum use of N fertilizers, a proper ratio of the fertilizer cost to the product value should be considered in fertilizer subsidy programs.

Containing the Fertilizer Subsidy in India - An Analysis of Subsidy Containing Strategies and its Outcome

Containing the Fertilizer Subsidy in India - An Analysis of Subsidy Containing Strategies and its Outcome

Impact of Fertilizer Subsidy on Household Food Security in the Derived Savannah Zone of Nigeria: A Case of the E-Wallet Programme

Impact of Fertilizer Subsidy on Household Food Security in the Derived Savannah Zone of Nigeria: A Case of the E-Wallet Programme

The Effect of Fertilizer Subsidy, Food Credit, and Government Expenditure on Infrastructure towards Food Security

This research aims to examine how fertilizer subsidy, food credit, and government expenditure on infrastructure affect the food security in Aceh province (Indonesia) by using a dynamic model based on Error Correction Model method. This research classifies food security into supply side and demand side. The availability of energy and protein is the supply side and the consumption of energy and protein is demand side. Using time series data, the findings of this research is the majority of variables have a favorable effect on Aceh's food security both the supply and demand sides. As a result, short-term food security is more consistent than long-term food security.

How can public policy encourage private investments in Indian agriculture? Input subsidies vs. public investment

Private on-farm investment has been lacking by smallholders in Indian agriculture. This study explores the efficiency of alternative public expenditures to support Indian agriculture and encourage private on-farm investment. Specifically, the paper examines the crowding-in effect of input subsidies and other forms of public investments on private on-farm investment. The study uses an autoregressive distributive lag model and data from 1980 to 2018. Findings reveal that irrigation subsidy strongly induces private on-farm investment over the long-run and short-run. However, public expenditures on research, education, and the area served by public canals have a significant crowding-in effect on private on-farm investment over the short and long run. Other factors that stimulate private investment in Indian agriculture include institutional credit, favorable agricultural terms of trade, and future demand for food. Thus, policymakers should better target and rationalize public expenditures programs. Policy recommendations include removing unproductive input subsidies (such as fertilizer and power subsidies) and diverting the freed resources toward public investment in Indian agriculture.

Determinants of inorganic fertilizer use by smallholder farmers in South Wollo and Oromia special administrative zones, Ethiopia


 
 
 The study investigated the determinants of fertilizer use by smallholder farmers. Data were drawn from 207 smallholder farmers, experts, and respective office heads using structured and semi-structured interview schedules, Key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Data were analysed using percentage, mean and standard deviation and linear regression model. About 94% of the farmers had the willingness to apply inorganic fertilizer on their farmland. An increasing price of inorganic fertilizer (96%), poor demand estimation (82%), delay in distribution (78%), lack of attention for the irrigation production system (65%), and unfair distribution/nepotism (61%) are the top-ranked challenges affecting inorganic fertilizer use. The existence of more active labour forces in the family (dy/dx = 20.4, t = 2.49), farmsize (dy/dx = 14.53, t = 3.82), ownership (dy/dx = 75 .13, t = 10.64), total income (dy/dx = 0.00024, t = 2.24), use of credit service (dy/dx = 31.11, t = 1.94), and frequency of extension contact (dy/dx = 24.60, t = 2.07), were found significantly promoting the amount of fertilizer use by smallholder farmers. Actions such as real demand estimation, arranging agricultural implements, and fertilizer subsidy for resource-poor farmers should be implemented to ensure food self-sufficiency.
 
 

Subsidy as An Economic Instrument for Environmental Protection: A Case of Global Fertilizer Use

Fertilizer subsidies may constitute a key economic tool with which to provide food for the growing population. Therefore, this work aimed to (i) assess the effectiveness of subsidized chemical (NPK) fertilizer use in food production by comparing the crop output between developed and developing regions and (ii) examine the benefits of organic fertilizer and the need for its use in developing regions such as Africa. Secondary data from 2000 to 2019 on global subsidized fertilizer use, crop production, income, and other agro-environmental parameters, such as climate and soil, were collected from the international databases of the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Forest Resources Assessment (FRA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and World Income Inequalities Database (WID), as well as countries’ national statistics. Data were analyzed using qualitative, quantitative, and geospatial software and techniques, such as SPSS, averages, multivariate analysis, and spatial analytical Geographic Information System (GIS) tools. The results reveal that the total global fertilizer use continuously increased from 79 million tonnes in 2000 to 125 million tonnes in 2019. Subsidized fertilizer use and crop production increased with countries’ economic status. For example, countries or regions with more economic resources tended to have higher fertilizer subsidies. More than 95% of North American and European countries recorded the highest total chemical fertilizer use, ranging from 855,160 to 18,224,035 kg ha−1. In terms of organic fertilizer production, the percentage contribution in Africa relative to global production was only 2%, which was about 932,538 million tonnes below the production yield in North America. More organic fertilizer and less inorganic fertilizer should be encouraged instead of the total eradication of chemical fertilizers. This is especially applicable to developing countries, where food production is low due to poor soil and high food demand owing to a harsh environment and rapid population growth.

Effect of fertilizer subsidy on household level cereal production in Ghana

Agricultural input subsidy programs have once again become a major plank of policies in Africa, aimed at productivity improvements and poverty reduction among farmers. In Ghana, a nationwide Fertilizer Subsidy Program (GFSP) was commenced in 2008. However, there has been limited rigorous evaluation of its impact on crop yields to date. Using matching methods, this study estimated the treatment effect of GFSP on a cross-sectional sample of 5,923 cereal households drawn from a population-based survey dataset for 2012/13 and 2016/17. Results showed that cereal yield enhancement attributable to GFSP was 24.5%. Additionally, the effect disaggregated by type of cereal showed that farmers cultivating maize benefited the most. These findings support the ability of GFSP ability to improve productivity.

ADAPTASI PERILAKU PETANI PADI DAERAH PINGGIRAN KOTA DI ERA COVID-19 SERTA PENGARUHNYA TERHADAP USAHATANI (Studi Kasus: Desa Sukabakti, Kecamatan Tambelang, Kabupaten Bekasi)

Covid-19 has an impact on the agricultural sector and farmers so that it affects their cultivation, marketing and income processes, thereby changing farmers’ behaviour to survive and maintain the availability of staple food. The purpose of this study is to find out the characteristics of rice farmers and analyse the adaptation of suburban farmers’ behaviour and their influence on farming during the Covid-19 pandemic. This research is using qualitative research with a case study approach at Sukabakti Village, Bekasi Regency. The sample selection using snowball sampling method. The results of study showed that the Covid-19 pandemic has an influence on rice farmers in the suburbs of Bekasi and Jakarta. In rice farming farmers have a considerable influence on grain sales, labor and distribution of fertilizer subsidies, caused by the lack of knowledge of farmers in marketing grain so that farmers are difficult and often suffer losses due to grain that is valued quite low. Based on this influence, farmers make several adaptations so that they can to survive during Covid-19. Adaptations are reduction of labor into family labor, reduction of sales on rice grain, doing side work as traders, reduction of fertilizer dose, receiving government support.