UN Division for Sustainable Development

Case Study Detail Record

Organization type:	Major Groups

Submitting organization:	Business and Industry

Affiliation:	- Business and industry

Name of Focal Point:	Seth Nuamah

Initiative Title:	Zinc fertilizer boosts yields and public health in Central Anatolia

Internet links:	http://www.fertilizer.org/ifa/news/2007_13.asp http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd/csd16/mg/mgdp-bi.pdf

Scope:

Status:

Timeframe:	Start: End:

Stakeholders/Partners:	Toros Agri Industry and Trade Company

Relevent issues:	- Food security and sustainable agriculture

Objectives/Challenges:

• Actively promote efficient and responsible production and use of plant nutrients to maintain and increase agricultural production worldwide in a sustainable manner.
• Improve the operating environment of the fertilizer industry in the spirit of free enterprise and fair trade.
• Collect, compile and disseminate information, and to provide a discussion forum for its members and others on all aspects of the production, distribution and consumption of fertilizers, their intermediates and raw materials

Lessons Learned:

The Turkish farmers were able to increased the use of the zinc-fortified fertilizer per year within a few short years

Summary:

Zinc deficiencies were identified in the early 1990s as reducing wheat yields in Central Anatolia (Turkey). Toros Agri Industry and Trade Company made zinc-enhanced compound fertilizers available to farmers at the same price as those containing just the three main plant nutrients. Convinced by the results in their fields, Turkish farmers significantly increased the use of the zinc-fortified fertilizer per year within a few short years, despite the repricing of the products to reflect the added-value of the zinc content. In addition to the agronomic benefits that have been evaluated at US$ 100 million per year, and this approach has also reduced zinc deficiencies in the local population..