Guti Urea
Inventor of applicator awarded
Bangladeshi agricultural engineer Dr Abdul Wahab has received an award from the US-based IFDC for his contribution to the development of a fertiliser applicator intended to cut labour costs and reduce farmers’ woes in applying Guti urea. Dr Amit H Roy, president and chief executive officer of the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC), gave him a crest, a certificate and $2500 during a board meeting at its Alabama headquarters on September 22, Ishrat Jahan, its resident representative in Bangladesh, told The Daily Star yesterday.
Invented by IFDC Scientist Dr Ray B Diamond, Guti (granular) urea has been used in Bangladesh since the 1980s for increased yield and low production costs. However, the fertiliser entailed increased labour costs and farmers suffered back pain since they had to bend down when applying it.
The new injector-type applicator is aimed at addressing the issues.
The 1.5kg plastic applicator has the capacity of accommodating some 60 Guti urea briquettes at a time, allowing a farmer to apply the briquettes on a 10-decimal paddy field in an hour.
Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) and Bangladesh Rice Research Institute had earlier developed push-type applicators, while Bangladesh Agricultural University developed an injector-type one. Those were, however, not handy enough for the farmers.
Ishrat Jahan said the IFDC President’s Outstanding Outposted Staff Member Award is given in recognition of excellence in support of IFDC and its mission.
In his reaction to the award, Wahab, a BARI scientist now working with IFDC on lien, said, “I am extremely happy and inspired by the award. The technology of Guti urea has a huge impact on food security and the environment.”
-With The Daily Star input
