Nutrient Management to Nutrient Stewardship

Robert M Norton¹ and Terry L. Roberts²

As agriculture has met increasing production demands, the use of fertilizers has been a fundamental aspect of sustainable and productive systems. The use of fertilizers has moved from purely production to economic returns and now includes the third bottom line of environmental effects. The consequences of injudicious fertilizer use are significant for the environment and have resulted in several jurisdictions of legislative tools to manage grower practice.

A global framework designed to aid the development and adoption of fertilizer best management practices (FBMPs) is described within the context of sustainable development. The framework is based on the premise that four principles of nutrient management-right source, right rate, right time, and right place provide the basis and flexibility needed for nutrient management in global agriculture and be adaptable from small to large farmers. As such it summarises a process – rather than defining an endpoint - in developing sustainable nutrient management practices based on good science that consider the demands of multiple stakeholders.

1 International Plant Nutrition Institute, http://anz.ipni.net Email rnorton@ipni.net
2 International Plant Nutrition Institute httip://www.ipni.net Email: troberts@ipni.net
Nutrient Stewardship ASA.pdf (size: 5.6 MB)