▁members ▁serve ▁far mers ▁everywhere ▁as ▁they ▁meet ▁the ▁world ' s ▁growing ▁food , ▁feed , ▁fib re ▁and ▁bio energy ▁needs ▁in ▁a ▁sust ain able ▁manner . ▁ ▁I FA ▁is ▁based ▁in ▁Paris , ▁France , ▁has ▁ 5 2 5 ▁members ▁in ▁ 8 5 ▁countries . ▁About ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁membership ▁is ▁based ▁in ▁developing ▁countries . ▁I FA ▁member ▁companies ▁represent ▁all ▁activities ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁production , ▁trade , ▁transport ▁and ▁distribution ▁of ▁every ▁type ▁of ▁fert il izer , ▁their ▁raw ▁materials ▁and ▁inter medi ates . ▁I FA ' s ▁membership ▁also ▁includes ▁organizations ▁involved ▁in ▁construction , ▁engineering , ▁consult ing , ▁agr onom ic ▁research ▁and ▁training . ▁ ▁I FA ' s ▁current ▁President ▁is ▁R akes h ▁Kap ur ▁of ▁Indian ▁Farm ers ▁F ert il izer ▁Cooper ative ▁Limited ▁( I FF CO ) ▁. ▁ ▁The ▁global ▁fert il izer ▁industry ▁produces ▁some ▁ 1 7 0 ▁million ▁t onnes ▁of ▁fert il izer ▁nut ri ents ▁ann ually . ▁These ▁are ▁used ▁in ▁every ▁corner ▁of ▁the ▁glo be ▁to ▁support ▁agricult ural ▁production . ▁There ▁is ▁no ▁substitute ▁for ▁the ▁nut ri ents ▁absor bed ▁by ▁cro ps . ▁As ▁a ▁major ▁source ▁of ▁these , ▁fert il izers ▁therefore ▁represent ▁an ▁essential ▁ing red ient ▁in ▁the ▁drive ▁towards ▁sust ain able ▁agricult ure ▁and ▁world ▁food ▁security . ▁ ▁I FA ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁in ▁London ▁as ▁the