In January, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) announced Canada’s participation in the Efficient Fertilizer Consortium (EFC), organized and led by the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR). This public-private partnership will fund research to advance enhanced efficiency and novel fertilizer products and practices, helping farmers grow crops while reducing impacts to the environment. As a founding member, Canada will play a key role in influencing the strategic direction and research of the EFC.
There are many innovative fertilizer products currently available. However, more research is needed to better understand their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction potential and their impact on crop yield in different climates, soil types and management practices. Led by AAFC, Canada’s efforts will include working with international scientists and agriculture stakeholders to conduct this research and ensure its relevance to Canadian farmers. The EFC will fund research to generate data and evidence on how fertilizers perform both in their support of healthy food crops, and their promise to reduce GHG emissions and other environmental impacts.
Joining the EFC supports the Government of Canada’s commitment to reduce GHG emissions in the country arising from the application of fertilizers. It also builds on the government’s commitment of over $1.5 billion to accelerate the agricultural sector's progress on reducing emissions, while remaining a global leader in sustainable agriculture.
The EFC has three ways in which sector stakeholders and academic partners can collaborate: applying for research funding, joining as a member, or being a science advisor.
Research Funding
The EFC invests in research to help farmers use novel and enhanced efficiency fertilizers more effectively. In early 2025, the EFC will open opportunities to apply for research funding. The research trials will use a common research protocol that the EFC has developed to evaluate environmental impact and agronomic performance of fertilizers. The field trials will evaluate enhanced efficiency and novel practices and fertilizers in many locations, climates, soil types, and cropping systems.
If you are interested in applying, keep an eye on the Efficient Fertilizer Consortium website or subscribe to the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research newsletter. Opportunities for research funding will be announced as a Request for Applications. Anyone interested is welcome to apply.
Membership
There is an upcoming opportunity to become a member of the EFC. Membership applications will open on an annual basis. Applications for this year will be open from August 1, 2024 to September 15, 2024; details for applying and contact information can be found on the Efficient Fertilizer Consortium website.
Science Advisors
If membership or research funding is not the right fit, maybe serving as a peer reviewer would be of interest to you. The EFC is looking for external scientists to serve as science advisors. If accepted, you could be a peer reviewer for EFC and provide your expert input into research activities and proposals.
If you or your organisation is interested in pursuing any of these opportunities further, you can find details and contact information on the Efficient Fertilizer Consortium website.
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