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<p>Agriculture forms the bedrock of food security across the nations. However, the intensive use of chemical fertilizers is degrading the soil. To better understand the urea fertilizer trade and its application in agricultural and related industries, addressing the global supply chain imbalances is essential. Multi-regional Input-Output Analysis (MRIOA) was used in this study to determine differences in the regional and inter-regional supply chain dependence and, as a result, to demonstrate unequal distribution of environmental and economic impacts of urea fertilizer. It portrays the US and China as major net importers, revealing their reliance on the global markets to satisfy their domestic needs. In-depth sector-specific assessments have indicated that the urea footprint primarily affects specific sectors, such as agriculture, fishing, food and beverages, and textiles. India contributes significantly to the world trade dynamic in fertilizers, where exports are at 2.7&#xa0;million tons. While the USA maintains near production-consumption parity (net import + 0.52&#xa0;million tons), its high embodied urea imports in food/textile sectors indicate consumption-driven nitrogen pressure. 30–50% of applied urea is typically lost to ecosystems via leaching and volatilization (Fowler et al. 2013; Zhang et al. 2021), and such dependencies translate to significant eutrophication and N₂O emission risks externalized to exporting regions. The present embodiment study tends to endorse that urea consumption has a direct connection with economic activity and environmental pressure. It also provides policymakers with objective evidence that can be used to maximize the utilization of fertilizers, considering the sustainable use of farmland in the long term.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p> <p>This study investigates a global consumption-based analysis that aims to track the embodied transfer of urea-fertilizers through different sectors and economies, and thus explains trade imbalance and supports the development of sustainable agricultural policy. Our work has a sequential pipeline: Data - Model - Results. Data inputs combine the data of direct urea-fertilizer use from FAO with the Eora Multi-Regional Input–Output (MRIO) database, covering 189 economies and 26 sectors, using 2016 as a pre-crisis benchmark before the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine conflict. The Model applies a consumption-based accounting framework, calculating embodied urea intensities (tons/dollars) through the product of final use and intensity. Results reveal urea use across agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, map cross-border trade linkages, and highlight the supply chain hotspots where demand and environmental pressures converge. These insights support targeted policy actions, such as improving resource efficiency, evaluating trade-related risks, and advancing sustainability goals aligned with SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 6 (Clean Water), 12 (Responsible Consumption), 13 (Climate Action), 15 (Life on Land), 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and 17 (Partnership for the Goals). Our study fills a gap in existing literature, which has predominantly relied on production-based assessments and overlooked the attribution of urea consumption to final use across diverse sectors and global trade flows.</p>

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Embodied Urea in Final Use: Mapping Transnational Agricultural Dependencies

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月12日

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  • Muhammad Yasin Gill,
  • Yihong Liu,
  • Xiao Li,
  • Zhi Li,
  • Ying Fan,
  • Xiaohua Xia

摘要

Agriculture forms the bedrock of food security across the nations. However, the intensive use of chemical fertilizers is degrading the soil. To better understand the urea fertilizer trade and its application in agricultural and related industries, addressing the global supply chain imbalances is essential. Multi-regional Input-Output Analysis (MRIOA) was used in this study to determine differences in the regional and inter-regional supply chain dependence and, as a result, to demonstrate unequal distribution of environmental and economic impacts of urea fertilizer. It portrays the US and China as major net importers, revealing their reliance on the global markets to satisfy their domestic needs. In-depth sector-specific assessments have indicated that the urea footprint primarily affects specific sectors, such as agriculture, fishing, food and beverages, and textiles. India contributes significantly to the world trade dynamic in fertilizers, where exports are at 2.7 million tons. While the USA maintains near production-consumption parity (net import + 0.52 million tons), its high embodied urea imports in food/textile sectors indicate consumption-driven nitrogen pressure. 30–50% of applied urea is typically lost to ecosystems via leaching and volatilization (Fowler et al. 2013; Zhang et al. 2021), and such dependencies translate to significant eutrophication and N₂O emission risks externalized to exporting regions. The present embodiment study tends to endorse that urea consumption has a direct connection with economic activity and environmental pressure. It also provides policymakers with objective evidence that can be used to maximize the utilization of fertilizers, considering the sustainable use of farmland in the long term.

Graphical Abstract

This study investigates a global consumption-based analysis that aims to track the embodied transfer of urea-fertilizers through different sectors and economies, and thus explains trade imbalance and supports the development of sustainable agricultural policy. Our work has a sequential pipeline: Data - Model - Results. Data inputs combine the data of direct urea-fertilizer use from FAO with the Eora Multi-Regional Input–Output (MRIO) database, covering 189 economies and 26 sectors, using 2016 as a pre-crisis benchmark before the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine conflict. The Model applies a consumption-based accounting framework, calculating embodied urea intensities (tons/dollars) through the product of final use and intensity. Results reveal urea use across agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, map cross-border trade linkages, and highlight the supply chain hotspots where demand and environmental pressures converge. These insights support targeted policy actions, such as improving resource efficiency, evaluating trade-related risks, and advancing sustainability goals aligned with SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 6 (Clean Water), 12 (Responsible Consumption), 13 (Climate Action), 15 (Life on Land), 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and 17 (Partnership for the Goals). Our study fills a gap in existing literature, which has predominantly relied on production-based assessments and overlooked the attribution of urea consumption to final use across diverse sectors and global trade flows.