Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – Researchers from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) have developed a breakthrough in the form of phospho-compost technology, an innovation based on natural phosphate aimed at sustainably increasing the productivity of acid drylands.
Optimizing the use of acid drylands could be key to national food security if managed through scientific and innovative approaches.
BRIN researcher Arivin Rivaie highlighted this during his scientific oration for the conferment of Research Professor, held at the Sumitro Djojohadikusumo Auditorium, B.J. Habibie Building, Jakarta, on Wednesday (July 16).
Rivaie explained that Indonesia has approximately 7.36 million hectares of acid drylands that remain underutilized. These lands are often categorized as marginal due to their difficult cultivation, low productivity, and unattractiveness to agricultural investment.
Their key characteristics include low pH (<5.5), high phosphorus fixation, presence of toxic metals like aluminum and manganese, and low water retention.
On the other hand, the threat of global food crises and the growing pressure of land-use conversion present serious challenges for Indonesia in safeguarding national food resilience. “Amidst the shortage of fertile land and soaring prices of inorganic fertilizers, Indonesia must optimize the potential of its existing agricultural lands,” Rivaie emphasized in BRIN’s official statement.
In his oration titled “Accelerating Phospho-Compost Technology Innovation to Increase Acid Dryland Productivity for Sustainable Food Security,” Rivaie presented a long-term, practical solution through the development of this phosphate-based innovation.
“Indonesia has around 7.36 million hectares of acid drylands that have not been optimally utilized,” said the professor, who specializes in soil fertility and plant nutrition.
He noted that with the massive conversion of paddy fields and the declining agricultural productivity due to climate change, acid drylands must be optimized urgently to maintain food supply.
“Compared to peatlands and tidal lands, acid drylands offer greater potential for food crop development due to their wider extent and relatively lower risk,” Rivaie added.
He further explained that paddy field conversion to non-agricultural uses in Indonesia is occurring at a rate of approximately 96,500 hectares per year, significantly lowering food crop productivity.
For example, upland rice yields only 2.0–3.4 tons/ha, maize 3.2–5.3 tons/ha, and soybean 0.64–0.78 tons/ha.
Rivaie’s proposed solution involves utilizing natural phosphate (NP) processed into phospho-compost through composting with organic materials and phosphate-solubilizing microbes.
This technology is considered highly efficient both agronomically and economically.
“Phospho-compost, a direct-application product of natural phosphate, addresses phosphorus deficiencies and other major soil fertility constraints in acid drylands,” explained the soil science researcher.
According to him, phospho-compost has three main advantages:
Agronomic effectiveness comparable to inorganic phosphorus fertilizers;
Long-term residual effects that enhance fertility and reduce soil acidity;
Slow nutrient release, making it more environmentally friendly.
In this context, Rivaie emphasized that phospho-compost is a simple, low-cost, low-tech method that can be widely implemented to improve soil phosphorus availability.
“The impact of this innovation is not only higher yields but also significant economic gains. Field trials show that phospho-compost increases upland rice yields by 62–90%, maize by 126–180%, and soybeans by 284–290% compared to conventional farmer practices,” he explained.
This condition, he added, makes it imperative to optimize acid drylands as an alternative food source. With the proper phosphorus fertilization technology, those figures can increase significantly.
“By implementing various phosphorus fertilization innovations, acid drylands can produce paddy yields of 3.7–5.4 tons/ha, maize 7.0–11.0 tons/ha, and soybeans 2.0–2.7 tons/ha,” he concluded confidently. (*)
