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Divina Gracia P. Rodriguez

Research Scientist

NIBIO Publications
NIBIO Projects

Division of Food Production and Society

Economics and Society

(+47) 980 60 276
divina.rodriguez@nibio.no

Place
Ås O43

Visiting address
Oluf Thesens vei 43, 1433 Ås

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Biography

I am an agricultural and applied economist. My research relates to environmental, consumer, and production economics in both developing and developed market contexts, with a focus on food security, agricultural productivity, and climate change. I have research, innovation, and development experience in Asia, Europe, and Africa. Currently, I am the coordinator of the FoodsecURe project and am also involved in several projects that deal with economic, environmental, and social sustainability in climate change.

Apart from my research work, I have taught undergraduate courses in introductory microeconomics, statistical methods, financial decision-making, and world food economy. I earned a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, an M.S. from Texas Tech University, and a B.S. from the University of the Philippines. 

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Authors

Divina Gracia P. Rodriguez

Abstract

The site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) strategy provides guidelines for effective nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium management to help farmers make better decisions on fertilizer input and output levels in rice (Oryza sativa) production. The SSNM fertilizer recommendations are based on the yield goal approach, which has been frequently cited in empirical studies. This study evaluates the assumptions underlying the SSNM strategy for rice in the top rice-producing countries around the world, including India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Using a generalized quadratic production function, I explore whether major nutrients are substitutes as inputs and if there are complementarities between inorganic fertilizer and soil organic matter (SOM). The results suggest the relationships among major nutrients vary across sites—some inputs are complements, some are substitutes, and some are independent. The SOM also significantly affects the nitrogen fertilizer uptake. I conclude by suggesting that the SSNM strategy can be made to be more adaptive to farmer’s fields if these relationships are accounted for in the fertilizer recommendation algorithm.

Authors

Divina Gracia P. Rodriguez Anne Prestvik

Abstract

This chapter emphasizes the need for active stakeholder engagement right through from strategy development to planning and implementation, to realize the benefits of sustainable bioeconomy development. In general, this varies between regions and countries. In the EU, it is considered important to engage stakeholders at all stages, whereas in developing countries engaging stakeholders so far has not been given much importance when launching new strategies. Stakeholders, including the private sector, research institutions, farmers organizations, the government and non-governmental organizations, all have important roles to play. The chapter focuses on the why, how and what type of stakeholders should be engaged, and the relevant benefits and challenges. It discusses experiences from the EU and other regions where stakeholder engagement (both formal and informal) and participative governance have led to or are necessary for successful and sustainable bioeconomy development.

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Authors

Divina Gracia P. Rodriguez David S. Bullock Maria A. Boerngen

Abstract

We examine the origins, implications, and consequences of yield-based N fertilizer management. Yield-based algorithms have dominated N fertilizer management of corn (Zea mays) in the United States for almost 50 yr, and similar algorithms have been used all over the world to make fertilizer recommendations for other crops. Beginning in the mid-1990s, empirical research started to show that yield-based rules-of-thumb in general are not a useful guide to fertilizer management. Yet yield-based methods continue to be widely used, and are part of the principal algorithms of nearly all current “decision tool” software being sold to farmers for N management. We present details of the theoretical and empirical origins of yield-based management algorithms, which were introduced by George Stanford (1966, 1973) as a way to make N fertilizer management less reliant on data. We show that Stanford’s derivation of his “1.2 Rule” was based on very little data, questionable data omissions, and negligible and faulty statistical analysis. We argue that, nonetheless, researchers, outreach personnel, and private-sector crop management consultants were obliged to give some kind of N management guidance to farmers. Since data generation is costly, it is understandable that a broad, “ball park” rule-of-thumb was developed, loosely based on agronomic principles. We conclude by suggesting that technology changes now allow for exciting new possibilities in data-intensive fertilizer management research, which may lead to more efficient N management possibilities in the near future.

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Division of Environment and Natural Resources

ENGAGE: Europe Nutrient Management - Guided Approaches for Greater Export reduction


ENGAGE aims to operationalise a novel vision for the future of multi-scale nutrientexport reduction and associated ecosystem services in national andtransboundary/international river basins in Europe by bringing together robuststakeholder engagement strategies with coupled state-of-the-art computationalhydrology techniques and online interactive use-tailored DS tool approaches that integrate remote sensing, socio-economic, governance, and society-change decisionelements. 

Active Updated: 02.01.2025
End: feb 2028
Start: feb 2025
FoodsecURe logo_png

Division of Food Production and Society

FoodsecURe: Food security through better sanitation: the case of urine recycling


Human urine contains essential plant nutrients. Hence, urine can serve as a “free” and locally available fertiliser. Successful, low-cost urine-diverting toilets (UDTs) that separately collect urine have been developed in Scandinavia and Europe and manufactured at large scale in Africa. A solution for stabilising urine into a solid fertiliser has also been developed. 

But why can't we recycle urine at scale?

In Sweden UDTs are used in some cottages, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Science (SLU) has developed a method to stabilise and dry urine into a fertiliser product, urine-based fertiliser (UBF). FoodSecure aims to implement this technology at a medium scale in Ethiopia.

Active Updated: 28.03.2025
End: jun 2027
Start: jul 2023
My finished projects