IFFCO launches campaign to promote nano fertilisers

Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) launched the Nano Fertilizer Usage Promotion Mahaabhiyan on Monday to promote the use of nano fertilizers.

Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) has launched the Nano Fertiliser Usage Promotion Mahaabhiyan on Monday to promote the use of nano-fertilisers, according to a press release. Under this initiative, 200 model nano village clusters have been selected by IFFCO and farmers of 800 villages are being given a subsidy of 25 per cent on the price (MRP) of Nano Urea Plus, Nano DAP and Sagarika fertilisers by IFFCO so that farmers can use nano fertilisers more and more in their fields.

Along with this, IFFCO will also give a grant of Rs 100 per acre to the drone entrepreneur so that farmers can get the facility of spraying at low rates. Farmers will be made aware of the increase in the quality and production of the crop in these model nano villages. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also launched 100-day action plan to increase the use of nano fertilisers in agriculture, under which 1270 demonstrations of Nano DAP (liquid) will be conducted in 413 districts and 200 trials of Nano Urea Plus (liquid) in 100 districts.

The trials will be assisted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, State Agricultural University and other research institutions and will be monitored by the Union Government. "Nano fertilizers will be made available by IFFCO to the cooperative society and other sales outlets. Farmers will be told about the benefits of nano fertilisers. IFFCO is providing 2500 agricultural drones for farmers for spraying nano fertilisers, for which 300 'Namo Drone Didi' and drone entrepreneurs have been prepared. Apart from this, other types of sprayers have also been made available, through which farmers will be able to easily spray nano fertilisers in their fields. Contracts have been made with 15 institutions to spray 245 lakh acres of area by drones, which will spray in the fields of farmers. An incentive of Rs 100 per acre will also be provided on each spray," the release stated.

From August 2021 to June 26, 2024, a total of 7.55 crore Nano Urea and 0.69 crore Nano DAP bottles produced by IFFCO have been used by farmers. In order to provide maximum benefit to the farmers, IFFCO has set a target of producing 4 crore Nano Urea Plus and 2 crore Nano DAP bottles in the year 2024-25.

Under this campaign, IFFCO has also planned publicity, field testing, training of secretaries of cooperative societies, etc., in all the districts of the country. The Ministry of Fertilisers will also collaborate to implement this scheme so that the use of nanofertilisers in place of chemical fertilisers in the fields can be encouraged. Under this mega campaign, it has been planned to provide 6 crore bottles of nano fertilisers, which will be distributed through 36,000 member cooperative societies of IFFCO and other cooperative societies. IFFCO stated in the release, that the availability of nano fertilisers will be ensured at each Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samridhi Kendras (PMKSK).

IFFCO is providing nano fertilisers to farmers by entering into marketing agreements with Indian Potash Limited (IPL), Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT), Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL), Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited (RCF), National Fertilizers Limited (NFL) etc. In August 2021, IFFCO commercially produced the world's first indigenous nano urea based on nanotechnology, giving the whole world a great alternative to conventional urea.

In March 2023, IFFCO also made nano DAP (liquid) available to farmers to reduce the use of DAP fertilizer. In view of the serious problem of environmental imbalance worldwide, there is a need to reduce the use of conventional chemical fertilizers in farming by nano fertilisers, the release said. As a result, the country can be strengthened economically and globally by realising the concept of 'self-reliant agriculture' and 'self-reliant India' with environmental protection, the release added.

The indiscriminate use of urea harms the environment through water and soil health. There are several benefits of nano-fertilisers, such as improvement in soil health, reduction in water and air pollution, increase in crop production and quality, reduction in use of conventional fertilisers, reduction in incidence of pests and diseases, IFFCO added in the release. (ANI)

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