Transcript Patricio Contesse - International Economic Forum of the Americas

Agricultural and Fertilizer Innovation
Ensuring Global Food and Nutrition
Security
The International Economic Forum of the Americas
Montreal, Canada
June 9-12, 2014
Patricio Contesse G.
Chief Executive Officer
SQM S.A.
1
Agriculture
Sources: IWMI, Foresight, WRI, CIA, World Bank, FAO, ILO
Converging challenges to global agriculture
Food security and meeting a growing demand
 Feed
2 billion more people by 2050
 Still 850 million hungry
 Increasing demand for livestock products
 Competing demand for feedstock for biofuels / bioenergy
60%
increase in total
agricultural
production (latest
FAO projection)
Increase yields
and cropping
intensity: 90% of
the anticipated
gain
Greater (and more
efficient) use of
fertilizers (and
other nutrient
sources)
Industry responds
through heavy
investments in
additional capacity
“Fertilizer is the world’s most important humanitarian
product”…. Andrew Youn, One Acre Fund
Fertilizers represent an
essential ingredient in
the drive towards
world food security
Innovation in agriculture
1. Improved crop varieties
2. Manufactured fertilizers
3. Irrigation and other technologies
’Green Revolution’…agricultural innovation
Closing the ‘yield gap’ is an imperative
Adoption of existing
technologies
• Access to inputs
• Access to knowledge

Innovations in nutrient management:
4R Nutrient Stewardship
Right Product
Soil testing
N, P, K, secondary and
micronutrients
Enhanced-efficiency
fertilizers
Nutrient management
plans
Right Time
Right Rate
Application timing
Controlled-release
technologies
Inhibitors
Fertilizer product choice
Soil testing
Yield goal analysis
Crop removal balance
Nutrient management
planning
Plant tissue analysis
Applicator calibration
Crop scouting
Record keeping
Variable rate technology
Site-specific management
Right Place
Application method
Incorporation of fertilizer
Buffer strips
Conservation tillage
Cover cropping
Knowledge transfer to farmers
 Developing countries
account for 2/3 of world
consumption
 Develop solutions to supplement
extension workers
 Develop common knowledge platform
to ensure consistent messages
 Hundreds of million
 Train agri-input dealers to provide
smallholder farmers are not
agronomic advice
satisfactorily advised on
fertilizer management
 Inefficient ‘conventional’
governmental extension
services
 poor use efficiency
Innovation: new products with added value
Slow- and
controlled release
fertilizers
Fertilizers
supplemented
with
micronutrients
Stabilized
fertilizers
Soluble / liquid
fertilizers
(fertigation, foliar
sprays)
 Mostly used on specialty crops
 Constrained by price differential
 New products could alleviate the price
constraint
 Virtual Fertilizer Research Center
(launched in 2010 by IFDC): Creating
the next generation of fertilizers
Fertilizing crops to improve human health
Enriching fertilizers with micro-nutrients = macro effect
•Turkey
•Finland
•China
Zn
Se
Zinc-enriched fertilizers for wheat crops
Selenium-enriched fertilizers fighting cardio-vascular disease
Iodine-enriched fertigation
Micronutrient-enriched fertilizers
(agronomic biofortification) to fight malnutrition
Bio-Fortification Process
READILY BIOAVAILABLE
AND ASSIMILATED Iodine,
Zn, Se, Fe
Iodine, Zn, Se, Fe ENRICHED
FERTILIZER SOLUTION
Iodine, Zn, Se, Fe UPTAKE
Through leaves
(foliar applied)
Through roots
Iodine, Zn, Se, Fe
BIOFORTIFIED FOOD
Farmers need our collective efforts
 INNOVATION: Research and develop new products and
best management practices
 PARTNERSHIPS: Develop new business models for
emerging markets
 FARMERS: Cooperate in innovative extension services –
effective outreach and last-mile delivery