The necessity for differentiated responses arises due to the significant surge in nitrogen fertilizer prices, posing a serious threat to food security. To sustain the production of staple cereals in agricultural systems with varying levels of fertilization, it becomes imperative to explore integrated management strategies encompassing both organic and inorganic nitrogen sources in high- and low-intensity cereal production.
According to estimates, adopting such an integrated approach could yield substantial reductions in nitrogen fertilizer usage: by 11% in India, 49% in Ethiopia, and 44% in Malawi. This strategy involves utilizing more cost-effective fertilizers with a high nitrogen content, such as urea, in conjunction with compost and legumes, particularly aimed at optimizing nitrogen utilization in deficient systems. Furthermore, embracing more efficient and targeted nitrogen fertilizer application would prove beneficial for systems with nitrogen surpluses. Geospatially diverse fertilization strategies should prioritize supplying nitrogen-rich fertilizers to low-yielding and nitrogen-deficient regions, while ensuring balanced fertilization of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients in high-yielding systems.
