India's dependence on imported nitrogen fertiliser and imported gas leaves agriculture vulnerable to supply disruptions, high costs, and geopolitical shocks
Centralised fertiliser production creates a need for decentralised, import-independent technologies that produce plant-available nitrogen from air, water, and electricity
Existing plasma-based nitrogen fixation systems need significant improvements in energy efficiency, cost competitiveness, and field readiness for large-scale agricultural use
Solution Requirements
Energy efficiency: Report Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) with a complete measurement methodology and a credible pathway towards ≤1 MJ/mol N. Track 3 systems must achieve SEC ≤5 MJ/mol N with a roadmap towards ≤1 MJ/mol N
Cost competitiveness: Demonstrate a credible pathway to a Levelized Cost of Nitrogen (LCON) of ≤$450/MT urea-equivalent. A full LCON analysis using the standardised secretariat template is mandatory from Track 2 onwards
Feedstock, product & market fit: Use air, water, and electricity without imported nitrogen-bearing reactants in the primary fixation step. Accepted outputs include plasma-activated water, dilute nitric acid, ammonium solutions, and solid nitrate formulations. Address post-processing, farmer equipment needs, storage, and supply-chain requirements; characterise products across at least three agro-climatic zones
Deployment model: Define rated output (kg N/day), footprint, weight, infrastructure needs, and support for continuous or intermittent power. Prioritise Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) and agro-service models. Any electricity source is eligible; renewable energy integration receives positive consideration
Indigenous IP & localisation: Core intellectual property must be Indian-origin or registered with ANRF, with commercial licensing to Indian entities. Identify India-sourced and imported components in the Bill of Materials (BoM), with a localisation plan
Agronomic safety: Characterise Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species (RONS), demonstrate plant-available nitrogen delivery in at least one Indian crop system, and include a soil microbiology impact plan. Track 2 and Track 3 proposals must align with ICAR Applied Research Programme protocols
Safety, stability & quality control: Specify farmer and operator handling safeguards, demonstrate product stability across at least three Indian agro-climatic zones, and provide batch quality-control metrics and shelf-life data
Regulatory pathway: Provide a credible Fertiliser Control Order (FCO) compliance pathway as a mandatory pass/fail requirement. Where no existing FCO category applies, propose a draft classification with ICAR
Challenge I: Development of a cost-effective, scalable, and highly accurate individual animal identification system for large-scale national livestock management and traceability programs
