Comprehensive assessment of fertiliser-linked environmental externalities and its key determinants: IWRM approach

Abstract

Agricultural activities are responsible for the deterioration of essential ecosystem services like clean water, air and soil. This literature review has identified a multitude of sources for water quality deterioration and emphasised on agricultural pollution due to excessive use of nutrients particularly nitrogen fertilisers. Through this paper, it has also been attempted to identify the upstream cause of fertiliser-linked water quality degradation issue by the cross-sectoral study of the various drivers of fertiliser use intensity. The synthesis of cause and effect has resulted in broader and deeper understanding of the scope of nutrient management at farm level. The paper advocates embracing an integrated water resource management practice as an instrument to manage provisioning and supporting ecosystem services. The review emphasises to focus on the synergistic effect of various factors consisting of socio-economic, personal, institutional and agro-ecological factors to mitigate the nutrient pollution problem as well as the resilience of natural resources. The understanding of farmer fertiliser use pattern can be pivotal in meeting the challenge of sustainable agro-ecosystems by decreasing the trade-offs and maximising the synergies between various factors.