The International Fertilizer Industry Association or IFA is a not-for-profit trade association that represents the global fertilizer

Fertilizer

Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...

 industry, on issues related to the promotion of plant nutrients, improvement of the operating environment of the member companies and the collection and compilation of industry information.

IFA members serve farmers everywhere as they meet the world's growing food, feed, fibre and bioenergy needs in a sustainable manner.

IFA is based in Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

, France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, has 525 members in 85 countries. About half of the membership is based in developing countries. IFA member companies represent all activities related to the production, trade, transport and distribution of every type of fertilizer

Fertilizer

Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...

, their raw materials and intermediates. IFA's membership also includes organizations involved in construction, engineering, consulting, agronomic research and training.

IFA's current President is William J.Doyle of PotashCorp.

The global fertilizer

Fertilizer

Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...

 industry produces some 170 million tonnes of fertilizer

Fertilizer

Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...

 nutrients annually. These are used in every corner of the globe to support agricultural production. There is no substitute for the nutrients absorbed by crops. As a major source of these, fertilizers therefore represent an essential ingredient in the drive towards sustainable agriculture

Agriculture

Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

 and world food security

Food security

Food security refers to the availability of food and one's access to it. A household is considered food-secure when its occupants do not live in hunger or fear of starvation. According to the World Resources Institute, global per capita food production has been increasing substantially for the past...

.

IFA was founded in 1927 in London as the International Superphosphate Manufacturers Association.

IFA's Mission

The mission of the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) is to be the voice and the ear of the global fertilizer industry as it provides the crop nutrients to allow farmers everywhere to meet the world's growing food, feed, fibre and bioenergy needs in a sustainable manner.The purpose of IFA is to serve its members, policy makers, farmers, the scientific community and the interests of the general public by:

• Actively promoting the efficient and responsible production and use of plant nutrients to maintain and increase agricultural production worldwide in a sustainable manner;
• Influencing the formation of public policy relevant to crop nutrition and soil fertility management;
• Improving the operating environment of the fertilizer industry in the spirit of free enterprise and fair trade;
• Collecting, compiling and disseminating statistics and other information relevant to the fertilizer industry, and providing a platform for the discussion of all aspects of the production, distribution and consumption of fertilizers, their intermediates and raw materials.
• Recognizing that crop nutrition is just one element of sustainable agriculture and rural development, IFA and its members seek to work with other stakeholders throughout the agricultural value chain to identify and implement holistic, integrated ways to meet the world's food, feed, fibre and bioenergy needs.

International consultation

IFA has consultative status with various agencies of the United Nations (UN), including:

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),
• InternationalMaritime Organization (IMO),
• UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD),
• UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and
• Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

The Association also cooperates actively with:

• Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR),
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD),
• UN Environment Programme (UNEP),
• World Bank
• World Trade Organization (WTO).