Soaring Fertilizer Prices
Soaring Fertilizer Prices
A Threat to Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sustainable farming systems are based on soil nutrients.
What happens when farmers can no longer access or afford the fertilizers that provide most of these nutrients?

world soil day
World Soil Day
The Answer Lies Beneath Our Feet

Why is it important for societies to address soil health and plant nutrition for improved food systems? Watch the full video or learn more about soil as the answer.

CA4SH
CA4SH
Restoring our planet's greatest resource

IFDC is honored to lead the way in championing global soil health through the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health. When it comes to achieving the SDGs, the answer lies beneath our feet.

#4RFuture
#4RFuture
Fertilizers and Sustainability

Can fertilizer be good? Is sustainable use possible?
Dr. Upendra Singh and Dr. Prem Bindraban discuss.

FERARI
FERARI
Preparing tomorrow's agriculture leaders

How do we make sure our work is effective and impactful? FERARI is taking this one step further in making its impact – impactful. The program's unique contribution to development in Ghana should not be overlooked.

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Our Solutions

IFDC believes the key to global food security starts with the soil and ends at the supermarket. We strive to develop better fertilizer and production technologies, transfer these improved technologies to smallholder farmers, and connect these farmers to efficient and profitable markets. By working with strategic partners, we build local capacity and ensure sustainable impact. 

1,207

Demonstration Plots Established

549k

Farmers Applying Good Agricultural Practices

331

Public-Private Partnerships Formed

Explore Our Solutions

IFDC specializes in:

  • Soil and Fertilizer Research 
  • Market Systems Development 
  • Public-Private Partnerships 
  • Capacity Building and Training 
  • Environmental Stewardship 

Our Approach

Featured Projects

Our work showcases our Mission in Action: working together to scale sustainable solutions for soil and plant nutrition that benefit farmers, entrepreneurs, and the environment.

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Farmers apply fertilizer to crops

Accelerating Agriculture and Agribusiness in South Sudan for Enhanced Economic Development (A3-SEED)

Budget: $10 million

Implementing Partner: Royal Tropical Institute (KIT)

Donor: Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) in Juba

A3-SEED (2020-2025) is supporting the commercialization of the seed sector to transition South Sudan from humanitarian relief support to a commercial, sustainable, and adaptive agriculture sector. Through existing private sector seed companies and outgrowers, seed production practices and input marketing and distribution will be improved so that quality seed is available down to the last mile. Smallholder farmers are being encouraged in the use of quality seed as well as good agricultural and climate-resilient farming practices. Over the next five years, A3-SEED will improve the livelihoods of more than 100,000 farming households, facilitate the development of 100 agro-dealers and 400 new businesses owned or managed by women and youth, and ensure over 42,000 hectares of farmland is under agroecological production and resilient to shocks and that 50% of relief seed is procured locally.

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Supporting Agricultural Productivity in Burundi (PAPAB)

Budget: €33.5 million

Implementing Partner: Wageningen Environmental Research, Oxfam Novib, and ZOA

Donor: Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Burundi

PAPAB (2015-2020) promoted market-oriented, climate-resilient, and sustainable agricultural techniques, supported by fertilizer subsidies. The project sustainably increased agricultural productivity, strengthened resilience, and raised incomes for 865,666 farming households during Component 1 and 59,575 farming households during Component 2 (see the PAPAB final report). A 2019 impact study carried out to assess the integrated farm planning approach showed that over 80% of households significantly increased their incomes over three years. In 2020, the project supported the National Fertilizer Subsidy Program (PNSEB) to give about 800,000 farming households access to 56,236 mt of fertilizers and 9,210 mt of dolomite.

An instructor speaks to farmers in Benin.

Soil Fertility Stewardship Project (PAGRIS)

Budget: €8.8 million

Implementing Partners: Wageningen Environmental Research and Twitezimbere

Donor: Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Burundi

PAGRIS (2020-2024) is an innovative project in Burundi that seeks to achieve ecologically sustainable land management. After a six-month inception phase, the project identified 42 pilot villages, 215 relevant watersheds of around 20 ha each, and 294 research farmers. The communities within the watersheds have been taught to develop their own plan to improve landscape management, tackle soil erosion, reach stewardship agreements, and implement integrated practices through collective community action. The research farmers have been trained to co-create their own integrated farming plan and to test and implement land stewardship strategies and practices using the participatory learning and action approach. At the institutional level, PAGRIS supported the Soil Fertilization Directorate (DFS) to improve the strategic and technical quality of fertilizers that have been produced and distributed in Burundi through the National Fertilizer Subsidy Program (PNSEB).

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About Us

We are scientists, development professionals, and community members dedicated to scientific innovations that increase global food production, protect the environment, and empower smallholder farmers. Since 1974, we have worked in more than 100 countries to improve food security from right where it all starts: the soil.  

Learn more about IFDC
2SCALE Team Building

IFDC is comprised of a dynamic team of individuals working worldwide to help improve sustainability.

Meet Our Team

Solving Food Security Together

The U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative, addressing the root causes of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition and transforming lives.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs works to create a just and sustainable world and works together with partners at home and abroad. 
With nearly a century of expertise, the OCP Group makes innovation central to the development of tailored and effective fertilizers for balanced soil fertilization.
The SDC aims to contribute to a world without poverty and in peace, for sustainable development.
USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. USAID’s work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity, demonstrates American generosity, and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience.
As a leading market systems practitioner, ACDI/VOCA addresses issues of food security, economic prosperity, and social inclusion through locally driven market solutions.
AFAP adds value to the agriculture value chains, through market driven business solutions, advisory and technical services, SME capacity building, and program management services
The overarching objective of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group is to spur sustainable economic development and social progress in its regional member countries (RMCs), thus contributing to poverty reduction.
The AU is guided by its vision of “An Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.”
The Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice)  is a leading pan-African rice research organization committed to improving livelihoods in Africa through strong science and effective partnerships. 
AGRA exists to fulfill the vision that Africa can feed itself and the world—transforming agriculture from a solitary struggle to survive to a business that thrives.
AgriProFocus brings together farmers, agribusinesses, civil society, knowledge institutes and governments to find new, sustainable ways of creating impact with business. 
Argus is an independent media organisation that produces price assessments and analysis of international energy and other commodity markets, and offers bespoke consulting services and industry-leading conferences.
The Government of Bangladesh.
BIO Alabama is the leading advocate for  Alabama’s bioeconomy. The organization represents the state on a national and international stage, promoting the intellectual and innovative capital that makes Alabama a premier place to invest, start, and grow in bioscience. 
BoP Innovation Center supports multinationals, SMEs and start-ups in creating and scaling inclusive business models that include the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) as consumers, distributors, producers, and  entrepreneurs.
CDI contributes to the Sustainable Development Goal of feeding nine billion people by 2050 in the domain of inclusive and sustainable food systems.
IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. 
IFA promotes the efficient and responsible production, distribution and use of plant nutrients.
Irish Aid’s aim is to reduce poverty, hunger and humanitarian need, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. By supporting long term development and providing humanitarian assistance in over eighty countries, on behalf of the Irish people, they are helping to build better futures for some of the world’s poorest communities.
The Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development bank (MDB), working to improve the lives of those we serve by promoting social and economic development in Member countries and Muslim communities worldwide, delivering impact at scale.
With knowledge, science and technology development as its primary mission, the University seeks to bring forth a new generation of competent African leaders, develop sustainable partnerships, promote research, and share the values of social responsibility and sustainable development.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is an innovative and independent U.S. foreign assistance agency that is helping lead the fight against global poverty.
SNV is a not-for-profit international development organisation that makes a lasting difference in the lives of people living in poverty by helping them raise incomes and access basic services.
Solidaridad West Africa focuses on stimulating sustainable supply chains through innovations in production, marketing and trade relations, landscape management and policy enabling. In these efforts, Solidaridad simultaneously addresses food security, nutrition and community development.
Swisscontact promotes inclusive economic, social and ecological development to make an effective contribution towards sustainable and widespread prosperity in developing and emerging economies.
TFI is the leading voice of the fertilizer industry, acting as an advocate for fair regulation and legislation, a consistent source for trusted information and data, a networking agent, and an outlet to publicize industry initiatives in safety and environmental stewardship. 
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on public policy, the best available science, and effective management.
Walmart.org focuses on creating opportunity for retail and related sectors, enhancing sustainability of supply chains, and strengthening communities to build resiliency.
WAFA aims to promote access to (availability, affordability, timing) and efficient use of quality and appropriate fertilizers among the farming population of West Africa.
With the mission to explore the potential of nature to improve quality of life, Wageningen University & Research is a research institution that focuses on the domain ‘healthy food and living conditions’. 
Our Partners