First and foremost many thanks for the opportunity to comment on this important document. The International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) is grateful for the level of openness and straightforward outcomes of these consultations.
We are also keen on thanking the organizers of the July 11th meeting in Geneva for facilitating private sector actors participation in the ICN2 process.
As an input industry, the fertilizer industry is aware of its contribution towards food and nutrition security. However, a systemic approach is required as no single actor be it government or private sector can singlehandedly tackle the challenge of undernutrition and of micronutrient deficiencies.
Therefore we are pleased with section 3.1 on Food Systems which takes a value chain approach to undernutrition. The section mentions micronutrient fertilization as a solution for undernutrition. We emphasize that these practices have been demonstrated to work and these models can and should be scaled up and tailored to fit other hidden hunger hotspots.
Micronutrient fertilization is a simple, affordable and sustainable solution to eradicate deficiencies globally, in particular in the case of zinc, selenium and iodine. This makes it a viable program which can be tailored to regional and national needs and implemented worldwide. Partnerships already exist in some countries. For example, the HarvestZinc initiative explores and tests fertilizer use to improve zinc concentration in various staple food crops such as wheat and rice in India, Brazil and China.
Scientific experiments show that zinc, selenium and iodine are the nutrients that can be most effectively provided to humans via micronutrient fertilization.
- In Finland commercial fertilizers nationwide are enriched with selenium to help mitigate the risk of human heart and cancer diseases.
- In Turkey, fertilizers are enriched with zinc to increase wheat, potato and fruit yields, as well as to improve the zinc nutrition status of its citizens.
- In Chile and Australia research has been conducted with iodine added to fertilizers in tomatoes and lettuce to mitigate risks of increased salt uptake.
In addition, Section 2.1 on Enabling Environments eloquently captures the need for frameworks for public-private partnerships in the area of nutrition. The private sector being referenced throughout the document is in our view a positive indicator of the increased synergies between private sector, governments and multilateral organizations.
Dear colleagues,
First and foremost many thanks for the opportunity to comment on this important document. The International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) is grateful for the level of openness and straightforward outcomes of these consultations.
We are also keen on thanking the organizers of the July 11th meeting in Geneva for facilitating private sector actors participation in the ICN2 process.
As an input industry, the fertilizer industry is aware of its contribution towards food and nutrition security. However, a systemic approach is required as no single actor be it government or private sector can singlehandedly tackle the challenge of undernutrition and of micronutrient deficiencies.
Therefore we are pleased with section 3.1 on Food Systems which takes a value chain approach to undernutrition. The section mentions micronutrient fertilization as a solution for undernutrition. We emphasize that these practices have been demonstrated to work and these models can and should be scaled up and tailored to fit other hidden hunger hotspots.
Micronutrient fertilization is a simple, affordable and sustainable solution to eradicate deficiencies globally, in particular in the case of zinc, selenium and iodine. This makes it a viable program which can be tailored to regional and national needs and implemented worldwide. Partnerships already exist in some countries. For example, the HarvestZinc initiative explores and tests fertilizer use to improve zinc concentration in various staple food crops such as wheat and rice in India, Brazil and China.
Scientific experiments show that zinc, selenium and iodine are the nutrients that can be most effectively provided to humans via micronutrient fertilization.
- In Finland commercial fertilizers nationwide are enriched with selenium to help mitigate the risk of human heart and cancer diseases.
- In Turkey, fertilizers are enriched with zinc to increase wheat, potato and fruit yields, as well as to improve the zinc nutrition status of its citizens.
- In Chile and Australia research has been conducted with iodine added to fertilizers in tomatoes and lettuce to mitigate risks of increased salt uptake.
In addition, Section 2.1 on Enabling Environments eloquently captures the need for frameworks for public-private partnerships in the area of nutrition. The private sector being referenced throughout the document is in our view a positive indicator of the increased synergies between private sector, governments and multilateral organizations.
Thanks and best regards,
Maria Antip
Policy Analyst
IFA