With funding support from Nigeria’s National Programme for Food Security (NPFS), IFDC trained nearly 1,000 rice farmers in Nigeria on urea deep placement (UDP) technology, an effective method of fertilizer application that increases rice yields while reducing waste.
“Rather than applying urea, a nitrogen fertilizer, to the soil surface in tiny granules, the urea is compacted into briquettes and placed several inches below ground. These briquettes release nitrogen slowly, dramatically reducing the amount of fertilizer washed away by rain or absorbed by the air. The technique has raised rice yields while limiting the amount of the nitrogen available to weeds and curbing herbicide use.”
Scott Wallace, IFDC country representative in Nigeria
