The mission of IFDC is bold and simple: to address global food security challenges and to help eradicate extreme hunger and poverty. The organization carries out this mission by enhancing smallholder farmers’ ability to manage mineral and organic fertilizers responsibly, thus increasing their agricultural productivity. In the process, IFDC promotes economic development and self-sufficiency – key components in the fight against global hunger and poverty – and also environmental stewardship. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, IFDC has contributed to the development of institutional capacity building in 150 countries through more than 700 formal training programs. Its field demonstrations and training have assisted millions of farmers around the world. IFDC focuses on increasing productivity across the agricultural value chain in developing countries through the creation and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technology and agribusiness expertise. Most recently, IFDC pioneered the development of fertilizer deep placement (FDP) – a more efficient and environmentally responsible method of fertilization that enables farmers to increase their crop yields while using less fertilizer. This process of fertilization saves farmers money and also cuts down on runoff and greenhouse gases. With the help of USAID, IFDC is on the verge of franchising FDP around the world, giving the technology away for free. What’s more, the organization hopes to strengthen the private sector with this new technology by helping to establish village-level businesses to manufacture FDP briquette-making machines as well as the briquettes themselves. Visionaries crew traveled to 3 countries documenting the progress.
