JUST-introduced nano urea to save Tk220b in agri sector

The nano urea fertiliser introduced by Jashore University of Science and Technology (JUST) will save a staggering Tk 220billion (Tk 22,000 crore) in agriculture sector .

Dr Jabed Hossain Khan, a professor of the university, has made a splash by developing the liquid form of fertiliser.

The fertiliser developed into liquid form by using nanotechnology delivers nutrients to plants more efficiently than traditional granular urea. It is characterised by its smaller particle size, allowing for better absorption into plant tissues and a higher application efficiency.

Using the nano urea Dr Jabed developed, paddy cultivation on one bigha of land will cost only Tk230. Along with this, crop yield will increase substantially. The country's farmers will largely benefit from this.

The researcher claims that although he is first in the world to develop this technology, he has not yet been able to obtain a patent (exclusive rights) due to lack of state sponsorship, due to which it is not possible to reach the farmers with this innovation.

However, the university administration has assured that all kinds of cooperation will be provided to establish communication with the government to reach this technology to the farmers.

It is known that making an object in small size is called nanotechnology. If the molecules of urea fertiliser are made into very small sizes, they become nano urea.

Nano can quickly enter through the small pores of the leaves of plants. The reason is that the amount required is small and the potential is much higher.

Using Bangladeshi technology, Professor Dr Javed Hossain Khan of JUST has made nano urea in the country.

This fertiliser is the successful outcome of seven years of research. But due to lack of state sponsorship, he has not yet been able to get a patent.

Dr Javed Hossain Khan said, "In 2019, I was first to produce nano urea fertiliser. Then, after two years of field trials, I published it in an American journal,

I also submitted an application for a patent in Bangladesh. Two years after we submitted it, India officially started producing nano urea. I made contact at our government level. I submitted the patent again to the Ministry of Commerce, contacted them, but they did not come forward."

He also said, "Even after trying until 2022, we could not succeed."

Meanwhile, India has started exporting its nano urea to 25 countries.

Dr Javed claims that nano is more powerful than normal urea. There is less wastage in it. Apart from that, nano urea is also ahead in providing nitrogen to plants quickly. The energy in one bag of normal urea can be found in 500 ml of nano urea.

Basically, the main energy of fertiliser, nitrogen, has been converted into a powerful solution of 500 ml through nano technology.

The benefit of nano urea is that one does not have to buy 50 kg of urea fertiliser, which has to be imported from outside, the cost of which is very high. Moreover, using nano urea increases production by 8 to 14 per cent.

Dr. Javed also said, "There is a war situation all over the world. Urea import is becoming expensive. If we can produce nano urea and hand it over to the farmers, then 66 per cent urea import will be reduced. Which will save us hundred of crores of taka foreign exchange."

He added, "It is possible to set up a nano urea fertiliser factory on a small scale with easily available chemical ingredients in the country. It is possible to produce sufficient nano urea with existing chemicals in the country as well."

If government and private companies come forward, it will be possible to market the fertiliser quickly.

In this case, the main obstacles will be the import syndicate and neighboring country India.

If these obstacles can be overcome, a new revolution will come in the agricultural sector, said Dr Javed.

"Meanwhile, several farmers in Jashore have produced rice by using the newly-developed nano urea this year," he added.

"When we went to the field, it was seen that the use of nano urea has yielded good yields in the fields. Farmers are happy because the production is good at low cost," he continued.

Jashore University of Science and Technology Vice Chancellor Professor Abdul Majid assured that all kinds of cooperation will be provided to researcher Dr Javed to take nano urea to the farmer level.

He said, "We will talk to the ministry concerned to get the equipment and fund needed to market it. If we get those, it will be possible to reach the farmer level with this fertiliser."

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