National Partners and ICARDA Strengthen Collaboration Under the “Fertilize Right Pakistan” Initiative

ICARDA Pakistan, in collaboration with 14 national and provincial partner institutes, hosted the biannual review meeting of the USDA-funded “Fertilize Right (FR) Pakistan)” project on 24–25 September 2025 in Lahore. The two-day event brought together scientists, policymakers, and partner representatives to assess project achievements and outline next steps toward sustainable fertilizer management in Pakistan’s cropping system.

Launched in November 2023, the Fertilize Right project aims to improve crop productivity while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by enhancing the efficiency of chemical fertilizers and developing alternative solutions to minimize their use. The project focuses on major cropping systems including rice–wheat and cotton–wheat in Punjab and Sindh, and spring maize and rainfed wheat in Punjab, comparing innovative technologies with traditional farmer practices.

During the meeting, partners presented results from completed field trials on maize, cotton, rice, and wheat, highlighting strong performance across multiple interventions. Findings showed that deep placement of urea significantly increased yields compared to broadcast application, while coated fertilizers boosted yields and reduced nitrogen use by 20%. The application of Biozote biofertilizer further improved crop performance and saved 25% nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, key outcomes that demonstrate the project’s success in promoting resource efficiency and environmental sustainability.

ICARDA Country Coordinator Dr. Muhammad Imtiaz, joined by ICARDA experts Dr. Muhammad Aslam, Mr. Muhammad Shafiq-ur-Rehman, and Ms. Sameerah Yunis, followed up on partners’ presentations and provided feedback for refining ongoing trials.

The opening session featured Dr. Kauser Abdullah Malik, former Minister of National Food Security and Research and currently Professor Emeritus at Forman Christian College University Lahore, as Chief Guest. USDA representatives Dr. Adeyemi Abiola, Dr. Mark Goodson, and Ms. Katherine Taylor participated virtually, reaffirming the collaborative commitment to advancing sustainable agricultural practices in Pakistan.

Through Fertilize Right, ICARDA and its partners continue to support Pakistani farmers with science-based, climate-smart fertilizer solutions that enhance productivity while protecting the environment.