A Brief History and Production of Fertilizers

The modern fertilization revolution began with the Haber-Bosch process in the early 20th century, enabling the production of synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizers on a large scale. This breakthrough unlocked unprecedented agricultural productivity, making it possible to feed a growing global population. Today, fertilizers provide three primary nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Each nutrient plays a vital role—nitrogen for growth, phosphorus for energy transfer, and potassium for resilience—forming the foundation of crop nutrition. However, as global agriculture has become more dependent on synthetic fertilizers, concerns about nutrient scarcity have emerged, especially for phosphorus, which may face shortages in the future.

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Fertilizer Types: N, P, K, and Organic Fertilizers

1. Nitrogen (N): Often the most critical nutrient, nitrogen is essential for crop growth
2. Phosphorus (P): Derived from e.g. phosphate rock, P fertilizers are less flexible in their sourcing and face potential scarcity due to limited global reserves.
3. Potassium (K): This nutrient is extracted from potash minerals and is critical for crop resilience. K shortages are less immediate but could impact yields if availability declines.
4. Organic Fertilizers: Organic options such as compost, manure, and crop residues are increasingly promoted for their environmental benefits, as they release nutrients slowly and improve soil health. However, organic fertilizers alone often lack the nutrient density required for high-yield agriculture.

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Fertilizers and Environmental Impact in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Fertilizers, especially nitrogen-based ones, significantly impact the environmental footprint of agriculture. In Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) for food products, fertilizers are often the largest contributors to emissions after land use change in certain crops and regions. While all types of synthetic fertilizer have a significant impact due to their production process, nitrogen fertilizers in particular are the main focus concerning climate change, since not all of the applied nitrogen is taken up by the plant and a share of that is then emitted as N₂O (laughing gas), a greenhouse gas 273 times as potent as carbon dioxide.

At inoqo, we developed our own in-house database of emission factors for ingredients. And since we recognized the significance of fertilizers, inoqo has directed substantial research in creating the best possible estimation model of fertilizer application rates. Our inoqo database assesses 160 crops across 200 territories, generating over 10,000 crop-country combinations with unique fertilizer assumptions, making it one of the most comprehensive datasets available.

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Building the inoqo Database: Fertilizer Application Rates for 10000+ Crop Datasets

To estimate fertilization rates across various crop-country combinations, we began by using data from a scientific article from Ludemann et al. (2022), which reports fertilizer use by crop and country. However, not all 10,000+ crop-country combinations were covered in that dataset, and some values were inconsistent, requiring exclusion. For the remaining gaps, we developed an advanced model, using data on crop removal rates. This model draws on Ludemann et al. (2024), which provides nutrient budgets across regions, aligning fertilization rates with nutrient demands from crop yields.

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Estimating and Adjusting Fertilization Rates

The inoqo model integrates numerous data points:

• Yield-based fertilization: Using IFASTAT data with FAOSTAT yield data, we calculated crop-specific means. To ensure accuracy, we filtered entries with negative yield-fertilization correlations, maintaining only reliable entries.
• Manual Adjustments: For cases where the data didn't align, such as crops with non-linear yield-fertilization relationships, we used values extracted from manually researched literature sources to keep our predictions within plausible limits.

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Model Results: A Snapshot of Fertilizer Use and Impact

Through these steps, inoqo now boasts precise fertilization estimates for every crop-country combination in our database. Take potatoes as an example: our model estimates that in Burkina Faso, the nitrogen application rate is 14 kg N/ha (9 kg synthetic, 5 kg organic) compared to New Zealand’s 252 kg N/ha (219 kg synthetic, 33 kg organic). When comparing the environmental impact per kilogram of potatoes, Burkina Faso’s yield is 6,193 kg/ha versus New Zealand’s 50,420 kg/ha, resulting in a nitrogen intensity of 1.55 g N/kg in Burkina Faso and 5 g N/kg in New Zealand. These distinctions help illustrate the need for optimized, location-specific fertilizer practices.

‍Let's Collaborate on Your Scope 3 Emission Reduction!

At inoqo, we conduct product impact assessments for grocery retailers, F&B brands, and other food companies, calculating the climate, biodiversity, and social impact of all your food and beverage products. Reach out to us at hello@inoqo.com to explore how we can guide your business towards a low-impact future.

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