Operationalizing the Sustainable Fertilizer Management Global Initiative at National Level: A Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Humanity is tasked with finding a balance between the need to increase the amount of food and the negative socio-environmental and economic consequences of the irrational use of fertilisers. At the global level, a number of initiatives have been launched to consolidate countries' efforts to address this problem. However, existing national fertiliser management systems and policies are characterised by insufficient consistency and low efficiency. This study aims to formulate a conceptual framework for developing a national sustainable fertiliser management system that meets the principles set out in existing global initiatives. Through the generalisation of the content of existing intergovernmental initiatives on sustainable fertiliser management, the subject composition was formulated, and estimates of the relationship between fertiliser application and public health (through the number of cancer diseases) through the use of regression analysis methods, assessment of economic damage from irrational fertilisation served as a substantiation (illustration of the importance of highlighting) of components covering: awareness, knowledge, tools. The national sustainable fertiliser management system is considered three-dimensional integrity containing the following interrelated components: government, fertiliser production and supply industries, and users. The functioning of this system is seen as a continuous process of raising awareness, generating and transferring knowledge, selecting and applying appropriate tools, and improving fertiliser application practices in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, with the leading role of government. The process of raising awareness of all actors of the system about the problem of irrational fertilisation is proposed to be considered in a broader context – through the demonstration of negative consequences not only for the environment (soil condition), but also from the standpoint of the impact on public health and related consequences – through the assessment of economic damage caused by pollution and consumption of food containing harmful substances. The main principles of interaction of subjects in this system should be the following: professionalism, transparency, information support, etc. Special attention should be paid to the formulation of a set of strategic goals that would lay the foundation for the development of control and evaluation procedures, a system for monitoring and reviewing mechanisms for economic incentives for fertiliser use, considering the social and environmental aspects of fertiliser use