International Fertilizer Development Center

What International Fertilizer Development Center does

International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is a nonprofit, public international organization founded in 1974 in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and granted international status comparable to the UN and World Bank via a U.S. Presidential Executive Order in 1977. The organization specializes in fertilizer innovation, soil fertility management, and smallholder agricultural development, operating primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia where it has cumulatively reached more than 130 countries through demonstration plots, farmer training, and consortium-led programs. Its core technology stack centers on Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), Fertilizer Deep Placement (FDP), urea deep placement, and bundled "Soil Health Technologies Bundle Box" packages combining inputs like Bokashi, Neem-Based Biopesticides, Biodigesters, and climate-smart horticulture practices.

IFDC operates as a donor-funded development organization with no commercial pricing model; revenue is generated exclusively through grants and program implementation contracts from bilateral aid agencies (notably the Netherlands DGIS and Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), multilateral development banks (World Bank, African Development Bank), the European Union, and private foundations (Walmart Foundation). Its flagship programs include the 10-year Soil Values initiative (2024-2033) targeting 2 million hectares across the Sahel, HortiNigeria (2021-2025), BRIGHT in Uganda (2022-2026), TRANSFORM in Ethiopia (2025-2028), and ACMA3 in Benin (2022-2027), collectively serving hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers, with documented outcomes including a 77% productivity increase in horticulture value chains and an 83% reduction in post-harvest losses. The organization employs more than 300 international staff across roughly 20 countries, maintains offices in Muscle Shoals and Washington DC, and is governed by an international board of directors under President and CEO leadership.

Name

International Fertilizer Development Center

Legal name

International Fertilizer Development Center

Website

https://ifdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

IFDC is a nonprofit public international organization, founded in 1974, that delivers donor-funded agricultural development programs focused on fertilizer innovation, soil fertility management, and smallholder farmer capacity building primarily across Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Muscle Shoals

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Development Grants and Donations: IFDC operates as a nonprofit public international organization funded primarily through grants and donations from bilateral aid agencies, multilateral development banks, private foundations, and government donors. Revenue comes from implementing donor-funded development programs in agriculture and food security.
2. Program Implementation Contracts: IFDC receives funding to design and implement agricultural development projects on behalf of governments and international donors, including the Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS), World Bank, European Union, and various embassies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

IFDC is a nonprofit public international organization that designs and implements donor-funded agricultural development programs focused on soil fertility management, fertilizer innovation, and smallholder farmer productivity. Its offerings include flagship multi-year programs (Soil Values, HortiNigeria, BRIGHT, TRANSFORM, ACMA3), proprietary technologies such as Fertilizer Deep Placement (FDP) and Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), and capacity-building services including demonstration plots, farmer field schools, and policy advisory support for governments and development partners.

Product overview

IFDC is a nonprofit international organization (not a software product company) that delivers agricultural development programs and solutions. The organization operates several flagship programs: the Soil Values Program (2024-2033) as the largest initiative focused on sustainable soil fertility management across the Sahel; HortiNigeria (2021-2025) for horticulture sector development; BRIGHT (2022-2026) for highland farming resilience in Uganda; TRANSFORM (2025-2028) for soil fertility in Ethiopia; and ACMA3 (2022-2027) for agricultural market development in Benin. These programs specialize in fertilizer innovation, soil solutions, farmer adoption and support, capacity building and training, market systems development, and policy and regulatory support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Soil Values Program A 10-year transformative initiative (2024-2033) establishing sustainable soil fertility management in Sahelian and Guinea Savanna farming systems across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Northern Nigeria, targeting 2 million hectares and 1.5 million smallholder farmers with emphasis on women. Delivered for bilateral donor (Netherlands DGIS) with multiple international consortium partners.
• HortiNigeria Program A sustainable and inclusive horticulture development program in Nigeria focused on tomato, okra, onion, and pepper value chains, targeting 60,000 smallholder farmers with 50% youth and 40% women participation. Delivered in consortium with East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation and Royal Tropical Institute (KIT).
• BRIGHT (Building Resilience and Inclusive Growth of Highland Farming Systems) A four-year initiative (2022-2026) building resilience of 100,000 highland farm households in Uganda through climate-smart agriculture techniques, integrated farm planning, market systems development, and natural resource conservation. Funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
• TRANSFORM (Transform Soil Fertility Management in Ethiopia) A four-year project (2025-2028) funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and European Union, aimed at improving soil health and fertility management through inclusive, bottom-up, participatory approaches, targeting 100,000 small-scale food producers in Ethiopia.
• ACMA3 (Communal Approach to the Agricultural Market in Benin - Phase 3) A project (2022-2027) financed by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Benin, intervening in Collines, Donga, and Borgou departments, working in maize, cassava, soy, groundnut, small ruminants, poultry, and market gardening sectors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 31,283 demonstration plots established
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• SNVcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore implementing partner in the Soil Values program, bringing expertise in market systems development and sustainable agriculture. Collaborates on integrated soil fertility management approaches.
• Wageningen University and Research (WUR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore partner providing research expertise and technical knowledge for soil health and agricultural development programs. Contributes to evidence-based approaches and knowledge products.
• AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge partner in the Soil Values coalition, contributing expertise in agricultural transformation and food systems across Africa.
• CIFOR-ICRAF (World Agroforestry Center)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge partner contributing expertise in agroforestry and landscape management for sustainable soil health approaches.
• International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge partner providing research expertise in tropical agriculture and soil fertility management for African farming systems.
• ISRIC – World Soil InformationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge partner contributing soil data and information services to support soil health mapping and management approaches.
• International Water Management Institute (IWMI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge partner providing expertise in water management and irrigation for integrated landscape approaches.
• East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner in the HortiNigeria program, providing expertise in vegetable seed development and knowledge transfer to smallholder farmers.
• Royal Tropical Institute (KIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner in HortiNigeria program, contributing expertise in market systems and inclusive business approaches.
• AgriterramajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner in the BRIGHT project in Uganda, bringing expertise in farmer organization and cooperative development.
• Uganda Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for BRIGHT project implementation, providing policy guidance and coordination at national level.
• National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) UgandamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner providing technical expertise in agricultural research and seed systems development for the BRIGHT project.
• OCP GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFertilizer industry partner bringing expertise in fertilizer production and innovation for balanced soil fertilization.
• African UnionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinental body guiding integration and development across Africa, collaborating on food systems transformation.
• AfricaRicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPan-African rice research organization working to improve livelihoods through science and partnerships.
• ACDI/VOCAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading market systems practitioner addressing food security, economic prosperity, and social inclusion through locally driven solutions.
• USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerU.S. government agency providing leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, and rural development.
• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch organization providing policy solutions for sustainably reducing poverty and hunger in developing countries.
• Fertilizer Crisis Response Group (GFCRG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-chaired by IFDC and FAO, bringing together global partners including World Bank, UN, AfDB, African Union, WFO, WTO, WFP, IFA, and IFPRI to coordinate responses to global fertilizer risks.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• One Acre Fund: One Acre Fund is a nonprofit social enterprise that supplies smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa with financing, training, and input distribution including fertilizer access. It intersects with IFDC's soil fertility and smallholder productivity mission but operates a more direct farmer-services model.

Direct peers

• Heifer International: Heifer International is a nonprofit working to end hunger and poverty through sustainable smallholder agriculture and livestock value chains in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. It shares IFDC's smallholder-focused, donor-funded, value-chain development model and global operating footprint.
• TechnoServe: TechnoServe is a US nonprofit that works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries, with deep smallholder agricultural programming across Africa and Latin America. TechnoServe mirrors IFDC's market systems development approach and smallholder value chain focus.
• ACDI/VOCA: ACDI/VOCA is a US-based nonprofit implementing market systems and agricultural value chain programs for smallholders globally, and is listed as an IFDC partner. It shares IFDC's donor-funded delivery model, focus on smallholder farmers, and operations in Africa and South Asia.
• Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA): AGRA is a nonprofit partnership-led organisation working across African agricultural value chains on soil health, seed systems, and market access for smallholders. AGRA is a direct peer of IFDC and is also a Soil Values coalition partner, sharing donor base, target geographies, and smallholder-focused delivery model.
• Farm Africa: Farm Africa is a UK-based nonprofit reducing poverty in eastern Africa by helping farmers grow more, sell more, and sell for more, with programs across Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and DR Congo. It is a direct peer of IFDC in target geography, smallholder focus, and sustainable agriculture delivery.
• Sasakawa Africa Association: Sasakawa Africa Association is a Japan-supported nonprofit working with smallholder farmers across Africa on productivity, postharvest, and market access. It shares IFDC's donor-funded smallholder agricultural extension model and focus on extension agent capacity building.
• SNV Netherlands Development Organisation: SNV is a Dutch development organisation that co-implements IFDC's Soil Values program and operates across agri-food, energy, and water sectors in Africa and Asia. SNV shares IFDC's Dutch-donor base, smallholder agriculture focus, and consortium-based delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• CGIAR System Organization: CGIAR is the global agricultural research partnership operating 15 international research centres (including IFDC partners IITA, IFPRI, IWMI, AfricaRice, CIFOR-ICRAF). CGIAR represents the broader incumbent research-for-development ecosystem in which IFDC operates as a delivery-focused complement.

Others

• Wageningen University & Research (WUR): Wageningen University & Research is the Dutch agricultural research institution and Soil Values knowledge partner of IFDC. WUR provides the research backbone and technical IP that complements IFDC's field delivery, and CEO Henk van Duijn is a Wageningen alumnus, making it a closely adjacent ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ifdcglobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/IFDCGlobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ifdc
• Instagraminstagram.com/ifdcglobal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Fertilizer Development Center