Transforming Farming: Nanotechnology Finds Many Applications in Agrochemicals

Nanotechnology has found broad applications across industries such as medicine, materials science, and agriculture, with North America and Asia leading the way.

In agriculture, nanotechnology is being increasingly adopted, offering advanced solutions for improving crop productivity, soil health and environmental sustainability.

Nano-agrochemicals, which include nano fertilizers, nano pesticides, nano herbicides and nano fungicides, are more efficient and environment friendly than conventional alternatives. These innovations have improved crop yield, reduced chemical waste, and mitigated environmental impacts.

For example, nano fertilizer like nano urea enhances nutrient absorption, reduces waste, and minimizes environmental impact.

For instance, India is the world's largest urea importer, with domestic urea consumption growing by 6-7% every year. In 2022, it imported urea worth US$7.1 billion.

To reduce this import dependance, the Indian government has implemented a two-fold strategy: boosting domestic urea production and promoting nano urea as a sustainable alternative.

Aiming to achieve self-sufficiency in urea production by 2025, the government plans to replace 2.5 million tons of conventional urea with nano urea in the 2024 fiscal year. As a result, urea consumption dropped from 35.7 million tons in financial year 23-24 to 31.7 million tons in the 10 months leading to February 2024, driven by efforts to encourage farmers to adopt nano urea. The reduction is attributed to efforts to promote nano urea among farmers, with 3.3 million tons sold from August 2021 until February 2024.

Nano urea, developed by Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO), has been approved for commercial use and claims to improve nitrogen availability by 80% and reduce nutrient loss.

However, its lower nitrogen content (4% vs. 46% in traditional urea) has led to skepticism about its effectiveness.

Meanwhile, companies such as BASF, Dow AgroSciences, Syngenta, Bayer, Nanovetores, NanoBiotech and Nanotech Innovations are actively involved in research and development of nano-agrochemicals. These companies are focused on innovations like nano-encapsulated pesticides, nano-fertilizers, and nano-biosensors among other diverse applications of nanotechnology in agriculture with an aim to enhance efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

What is Driving Nanotechnology Adoption in Agriculture?

Increasing Food Demand:

Global food demand is forecasted to increase by 60-70% by 2050 relative to 2020 levels, driven by the anticipated global population growth to 9.1 billion, putting immense pressure on current farming practices, according to the United Stations.

As a result, advanced strategies like nano-enabled farming are seen as key to sustainably meeting this demand.

Also Read: A Comprehensive Guide to Food Supply Chain

Lowering Environmental Impact of Fertilizers:

Fertilizer and pesticide inefficiencies in agriculture result in significant environmental pollution, as much as 50% of fertilizers and 95% of pesticides fail to reach their intended targets. This inefficiency contributes to agriculture's substantial share of global greenhouse gas emissions (28%).

To address these challenges, researchers are exploring nanotechnology, particularly involving methods from nanomedicine, for precise delivery of agrochemicals. By coating nanomaterials with sugars or peptides, targeted delivery can enhance plant resilience and minimize environmental damage.

Researchers are also planning to use AI to optimize the application of these nano-agrochemicals, transforming agricultural practices for greater efficiency.

However, technical hurdles must be overcome for these innovations to fully realize their potential.

Therefore, by optimizing proper resource use and promoting precision agriculture, nanotechnology can contribute to more sustainable farming practices.

Conclusion

Nanotechnology holds transformative potential in agriculture. From precision pest control to smart nutrient delivery, it offers sustainable solutions for improving crop productivity and resource use. Though challenges remain, such as technical limitations and environmental concerns, nanotechnology is poised to play a critical role in the future of global food security.

Author: Mitsu Badiani