1. Fertilizer Recommendation Service
Md Nazmul Hasan
Principal Scientific Officer
(Head of Central Laboratory)
Soil Resource Development Institute
Ministry of Agriculture

2. Fertilizer Recommendation System in Bangladesh
Research on soil test and crop response:-
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI)
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI)
Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA)
Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI)
Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute (BSRI)
Soil Fertility Database Generation:-
Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI)
Based on soil test and crop response research and soil fertility database “Fertilizer Recommendation Guides” are developed under the leadership of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC). NARS institutes and Department of Agriculture Extension are the contributing agencies.

3. Fertilizer Recommendation Guides
Fertilizer Recommendation Guide is an outcome of soil fertility research in Bangladesh. * Fertilizer Use in East Pakistan, * Soil Fertility Investigation in East Pakistan, * Studies on Fertilizers and Soils of East Pakistan, * Fertilizer Guides of Major Crops of Bangladesh, * Fertilizer Recommendation Guide, * Fertilizer Recommendation Guide, * Fertilizer Recommendation Guide, * Fertilizer Recommendation Guide, * Fertilizer Recommendation Guide, 2012.

4. Major Soil Fertility Research in Bangladesh.
Rapid Soil Fertility Survey and Popularization of the Use of Fertilizer in East Pakistan-1957.
Reconnaissance Soil Survey
Fertilizer Demonstration and Distribution Project, UNDP/FAO (On-farm trials & Demos.)
Semi-detailed Soil Survey- Outcome-”Land and Soil Resources Utilization Guide” (First round), Updating (Second round) is going on.
Soil Fertility Research conducted by NARS Institutes.
Soil Fertility and Fertilizer Management Project.
Soil Fertility Monitoring Programme

5. Fertilizer Recommendation Service provided by different agencies
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE)-
Training,
Demonstration,
Field Day.
Agriculture Information Service (AIS)-
Online and Offline Fertilizer Recommendation through AICC.
Mobile based Service (7676)

6. Fertilizer Recommendation Service
Soil Resources Development Institute (SRDI)-
Publication of Upazila wise “Land and Soil Resources Utilization Guide” popularly known as Upazila Nirdeshika,
Training (TOT and farmers training)
Demonstration (at minimum scale) and Field Day,
Festoon,
Poster,
Billboard,
Publication of Union Land, Soil and Fertilizer use Guides,

7. Fertilizer Recommendation Service
Soil Resources Development Institute (SRDI)-
Mobile Soil Testing Laboratory (MSTL)Service,
Fertilizer Recommendations at Static Laboratories,
Fertilizer Recommendation at Field Offices based on Upazila Nirdeshika Database,
On-line Fertilizer Recommendation System,
Computer based Off-line Fertilizer Recommendation Service.

8. Fertilizer Recommendation in Fertilizer Recommendation Guide (FRG)
AEZ wise Fertilizer Recommendations for major crops and cropping pattern (Based on average soil fertility status (data generated in SRDI and crop requirement research done in NARS institutes).
Soil Test Value based Fertilizer Recommendations.

9. Fertilizer Recommendation in Upazila Nirdeshika
Mapping unit and land type wise average soil fertility based fertilizer recommendations.
Soil group and land type wise average soil test value based fertilizer recommendation (need some additional work that is calculation).
Point/location specific data based fertilizer recommendation (need some calculation).

10. Data Generation Process on Soil Fertility Status of Bangladesh Soil
Soil sample collection through semi-detailed soil survey for the preparation of Upazilawise Land and Soil Resources Utilization Guide. Analyses in the Static Laboratory of SRDI.
Soil sample analyses in Mobile Soil Testing Laboratories.
Soil sample collection and analyses under soil fertility Monitoring Programme.
Digitization of the data base in GIS.
Soil mapping.

11. pH of Bangladesh Soil
Extremely Acid (<4.5)= 0.35million ha. Strongly Acid ( )= 5.13 million ha. Total 5.48 million ha soils needs special attention. Application of lime is necessary.

12. Organic Matter Status of Bangladesh Soil
Very Low (1%)=1.09 mha. Low (1-1.7%)= 4.14 mha Total 5.23 mha soils deficient in organic matter. Incorporation of organic matter or organic fertilizer is necessary.

13. Phosphorus Status of Bangladesh Soil
Very Low (≤ 6.0 µg/g) = 1.65 mha Low ( µg/g ) = 3.48 mha Total 5.12 mha lands are deficient in Phosphorus. Management of P needed considering soil pH. Liming in low pH.

14. Potassium Status of Bangladesh Soil
Very Low (≤ meq/100g) = 0.40 mha Low ( meq/100g) = 3.36 mha Total 3.76 mha of soils are deficient in Potassium.

15. Sulfur Status of Bangladesh Soil
Very Low (≤ 9.0 µg/g) = 1.00 mha Low ( µg/g ) = 3.57 mha Total 4.57 mha of soils are deficient in Sulfur.

16. Zinc Status of Bangladesh Soil
Very Low (≤ 0.45 µg/g) = 1.00 mha Low ( µg/g ) = 2.77 mha Total3.77 mha soils are deficient in Zinc.

17. Boron Status of Bangladesh Soil
Very Low (≤ 0.15 µg/g) = 1.15 mha Low ( µg/g ) = 2.30 mha Total 3.45 mha soils are deficient in Boron.

18. Calculation for fertilizer required
Fr = Uf – (Ci/Cs) x (St-Ls)
Fr: Fertilizer nutrient required for given soil test value.
Uf: Upper limit of the recommended fertilizer nutrient for the respective STVI class.
Ci: Unit of class intervals used for fertilizer recommendation.
Cs: Unit of class intervals used for STVI class.
St: Soil test value.
Ls: Lower limit of the soil test value within STVI class.
Note: STVI is Soil Test Value Interpretation.

19. Land and Soil Resource Utilization Guide (Upazila Nirdeshika) Database

20. Soil Sampling Points (Location)
Latitude - Longitude
Sample Number
Organic Matter
Salinity pH N P
K S Zn B Ca Mg Cu Fe Mn

21. National Database Soil Map
Lat-Long
Sample Number
Organic Matter
Salinity pH N P
K S Zn B Ca Mg Cu Fe Mn
Lat –Long
District
Upazila
Union
Physiography
Land Type
Soil Texture
Drainage
Soil Sampling Point
Soil Map

22. জাতীয় ডিজিটাল মৃত্তিকা পুষ্টি মানের তথ্য ভান্ডার
Online Fertilizer Recommendation System (OFRS)
ডিজিটাল প্রযুক্তি ব্যবহার করে সার সুপারিশ সেবা দ্রুত কৃষকের কাছে পৌঁছে দেয়ার জন্য Online Fertilizer Recommendation System (OFRS) নামে এই সফটওয়ারটি তাৎক্ষণিকভাবে মৃত্তিকা পুষ্টিমানের জাতীয় ডিজিটাল তথ্য ভান্ডার ব্যবহার করে সার সুপারিশ দিয়ে থাকে।

23. Flow Chart Select Location (Upazila, Union)
Software database
Upazila
Union
Physiography
Landtype
Nutrient
Crops
Fertilizer
Select Location (Upazila, Union)
Select Physiography and Land Type
Physiography and land type wise union level data extraction
Averaging nutrient data
Select Crop
Nutrient requirement of selected crop [BARC Fert. Rec. Guide]
Soil Nutrient Status determination
Location Specific Fertilizer Recommendation for Selected Crop
Convert to Fertilizer requirement
Nutrient requirement assessment

24. ইউআইএসসি
(UISC)

25. Digital Fertilizer Recommendation System
Online Fertilizer Recommendation System (OFRS) was inaugurated in September 2009 as trial basis to provide quick fertilizer recommendation service to farmers of 30 Upazilla through CIC of Gramin Phone (online) and mobile phone (call) of Banglalink company(7676).
Union Information and Service Center (UISC) was included as service provider in 2011 and OFRS was extended to 200 Upazila and now OFRS covers all the Upazila of the country.
SRDI awarded best IT User in 2010 (BASIS) and Bangabandhu Jatio Krishi Padak (Bangabandhu National Agriculture Award) in 2013.

26. How to get Online Fertilizer Recommendation Service
Log on or then click Online Fertilizer Recommendation System.
Union Information and Service Center (UISC).
Call 7676 from Banglalink.
Customer Information Center (CIC) of Gramin Phone.

38. Benefits of Digital Fertilizer Recommendation Service
Based on soil fertility database.
Quick recommendation service. Farmers needs to provide very simple information such as location of the farm/field (Union, Upazila and District), Land Type (Inundation level during Monsoon) and the crop and variety he want to cultivate.
As because recommendation is based on soil test and crop requirement that is balanced, yield increases percent.
Reduces indiscriminate use of fertilizers. Reduces use of Urea.
Reduces unit production cost.
Soil health improves.
Quality of harvest is better.
Keep crop health better. Infestation of pest and diseases lower.

39. Benefits of Digital Fertilizer Recommendation Service
Manual calculation from database is difficult for SAAO’s and also for other extension agents. It is time consuming. No manual calculation is needed for OFRS. Service can be provided to the farmers very quickly.
Service can be provided to many farmers in a very short time.
User friendly software. Computer and internet user can provide the service. Technical knowledge on soil fertility and fertilizer management is not necessary.
No additional cost is involved. Internet connection is necessary only.
Service can be received from UISC. Very minimum charge is applicable.

40. Fertilizer Recommendation
Yield goal 7.5 ± 0.75 t/ha
Land Type
Crop
Fertilizer Recommendation (g/decimal)
Urea
TSP
MoP
Gypsum
ZnSO4 (Hepta)
Solubor
Khali Shawor Union, Purbadhala Upazila, Netrokona District, Old Brahmaputra FP, MHL, Area-2306 ha
MHL
BR-29
1234
719
672
349
Old Brahmaputra Flood Plain, 7,23,037 ha
1318
405
526
456 25
Site (Plot) specific (sample collection, analysis & recommendation)
1285
765
525
240 6
Soil Unit-3, Purbadhala, AEZ-9, Area-4104 ha
1241
729
225 39

41. Constrains Farmers are not aware that Service is in place.
Farmers are not willing to accept the recommendation unless and otherwise demonstrated in the field (Seeing is believing).
Lack of information.
Information delivery system is not fast.

42. Way forward
Advertisement in electronic media in prime and non-prime time.
Advertisement in print media.
Posters, leaflets, festoon.
Training and motivation.
Demonstration.
Involvement of DAE in the system.

43. Thank You for Patience Hearing.