FAI Activities

Activities

FAI provides the catalytic role for improving efficiency and productivity in fertiliser production, distribution and use. The major areas of FAI's multifarious activities may be grouped as follows:

1.Government-Industry Interface

The FAI acts as a bridge between Industry and Govt. by maintaining close contact and rapport with concerned Ministries and Agencies, like Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Ministry of Finance, State Governments, ICAR ,CSIR,etc.

The FAI acts as a focal point for resolving industry problems by taking up issues with the appropriate authorities. Data on various industry problems are collected and collated for taking up the issue with the appropriate authority. FAI is represented in all important Govt. Committees/Panels relating to fertiliser and agriculture.

The views and inputs of the FAI are continuously sought by the government on various issues, viz., formulating policies related to fertiliser sector, inclusion of new products in FCO, etc.

2.International Relations

FAI maintains close liaison with international bodies like:

Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA)
IFDC (International Center for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development)
The Fertiliser Institute (TFI)
IMPHOS (World Phosphate Institute)
The Sulphur Institute (TSI)
International Potash Institute (IPI)
International Zinc Association (IZA)
Potash & Phosphate Institute of Canada(PPIC)
Fertilizer Advisory Development and Information Network for Asia and the Pacific (FADINAP)
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
National Fertilizer & Environmental Research Center, USA
World Bank

The FAI is represented in various international fora. FAI officials are invited to present papers on topics of importance to the developing countries in the field of fertiliser and agriculture. From time to time, the FAI has also undertaken studies sponsored by international organizations and some developing countries.

3.Developmental Activities

The FAI provides a forum for exchange of views and cross-fertilisation of ideas to those concerned with fertilisers in various disciplines, through Group Discussions, Workshops, Think Tank Meetings and Seminars at Regional, National and International levels.

4. FAI Seminar

The FAI Annual Seminar held generally in December every year has assumed an International stature. It is attended by a large number (1300-1400) of professionals from the fertiliser Industry and administrators in the Govt. connected with policy issues from India and abroad. The major conclusions and recommendations of the seminar are considered / adopted for future course of action.

5. Special Studies

Studies on specific topics such as energy conservation, downtime analysis, safety, pollution abatement, are carried out to help the industry in problem solving and drawing action plan to improve productivity. Bench marking study of the performance of Indian fertiliser plants is carried out both within the Indian industry and the industry abroad to provide directions to achieve higher productivity. FAI also projects demand/supply of fertilisers for national planning.

The FAI with the technical support from the Sulphur Institute, Washington DC and funding by the IFA worked on projects on Sulphur in Balanced Fertilisation in different states from 1997 to 2008.

The FAI has been carrying out FAO funded related studies.

6. Documentation

The FAI acts as a clearing house for technical, agricultural, marketing, statistical information etc., concerning the industry by maintaining a large and up-to-date library and documentation centre. It disseminates information on various facets of the fertiliser industry within and outside the country.

7.Training

The FAI provides training programmes at all levels, covering all the disciplines of the industry. These training programmes, mostly residential of short as well as long duration, are well established. Apart from meeting internal needs, the programmes have attracted participation from other developing countries. In the past, many participants in these programmes have been sponsored by UN agencies, like, FAO, IAEA, FIAC, FADINAP and Common Wealth Secretariat.

Training programmes are organised in the areas of maintenance of plants, instrumentation, marketing, management development, policy environment, international trade and shipping, logistics and sales promotion, specialty fertilisers, information and communication, forecasting and planning, etc.

8.Awards

With a view to promote healthy competition and reward outstanding work, the FAI has instituted a number of Annual Awards in the following areas:

Best Articles in the FAI journals
Outstanding Doctoral Research in Fertiliser Usage
Best Work done in Fertiliser Usage
Innovative Work on Transfer of Improved Farm Technologies
Technical Innovation Implemented
Environment Protection
Best Overall Performance in Production
Excellence in Safety of Fertiliser Plants
Production, Promotion and Marketing of Bio-fertilisers
Best Video Film

In addition, the FAI has instituted the following awards in collaboration with International Institutions/Association:

TSI-FAI Award on Plant Nutrient Sulphur
PPIC-FAI Award for the Best Research on Management and Balanced Use of Inputs in Achieving Maximum Yield
IMPHOS-FAI Award on Impact of Phosphorus on Yield and Quality of Crops
IPI-FAI Award for Outstanding MSc. Research in Balanced and Integrated Fertiliser Usage with Emphasis on Potassium

9. Public Relations

The FAI provides regular information to the National Press; Inputs are given to International Organisations and Government Agencies; write-ups are provided to professional and specialized publication in India and abroad on the developments and issues relating to fertilisers, agriculture and related areas. Press conferences are organized to highlight issues/problems facing the fertiliser industry.

10. Publications

FAI publications are internationally accepted as authoritative sources of reference material. The following journals are brought out by FAI every month:

Indian Journal of Fertilisers (English) Fertiliser Marketing News (English), FAI Abstract Service (English), Khad Patrika (Hindi)

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Besides, a few journals are published in Regional languages.

Three special issues of Indian Journal of Fertilisers each dealing with Technology, Marketing and Agronomy are brought out every year. The September issue of Indian Journal of Fertilisers contains the ‘Annual review of Production and Consumption’ which presents the review of fertiliser production, consumption, prices, subsidies and concession, fertiliser policy, etc. The December issue contains a status paper on ‘Agriculture and Fertiliser Industry in India’ and special papers on the theme of the seminar.

The annual publication of Fertiliser Statistics is considered as a reference book on Indian fertiliser and agriculture. It contains detailed statistical information on production, distribution, consumption, prices and related statistics pertaining to India as well as other countries.

The Regional offices of the FAI bring out Fertiliser and Agriculture Statistics, which gives state-wise and district-wise statistics.

Proceedings of various Seminars, Workshops and Group Discussions are also published.

To sum up, through a variety of activities in various disciplines as brought out above, the FAI has constantly endeavoured to realize the ultimate objective of Ensuring Food Security through promoting balanced and efficient use of fertilisers. It will continue to pursue this goal with added vigour by intensifying the existing activities and taking new initiatives for meeting the emerging challenges.

Besides regular publications, several ad-hoc publications like, Handbooks on Fertiliser Technology, Marketing and Usage; Crop Booklets; Fertiliser (control) Order; Fertiliser Scene in India; Soils of India; Fertiliser Use and Environmental Quality; Fertiliser Warehousing; International Prices & Related Statistics; Sulphuric acid Statistics; Bio-fertiliser Statistics; etc. have been published, and are periodically updated.

11. Website

The FAI website www.faidelhi.org is a powerful site containing wealth of information both at macro and micro levels relating to fertiliser, agriculture and allied areas. The sections in the site include Statistical information, Environment and Energy related information, Government notifications, Fertiliser policy reports, FAI Abstract Service, Daily news bulletin, FAI activities, Calendar of events, News flash, Links with important organizations, directly or indirectly related to fertiliser and agriculture, etc.