Rabat – Morocco has donated 3,924 bags of fertilizers to Saint Lucia, to assist local farmers and reduce their production costs.
The donation is the fruit of the Moroccan Soil Fertility Project, a joint program that seeks to produce customized fertilizers to meet the soil needs in the Eastern Caribbean island.
Welcoming the bilateral cooperation between Rabat and Castries, Said Al Melaji, a Moroccan councilor to Saint Lucia, said that the two countries “have experienced in recent years a significant dynamic in various areas.”
“In this regard, I applaud the achievements in the agricultural sector in Saint Lucia and the fruitful results of the practical cooperation between Morocco and Saint Lucia, he said. The official added that he hopes “donations will further strengthen the capacity of Saint Lucia for agricultural development and benefit farmers.”
Facing rising costs of fertilizer imports, delayed shipments, and severe consequences of climate change, Saint Lucia’s government considers Morocco’s donation as a relief package to local farmers.
Alfred Prosper, Saint Lucia’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Rural Development, said that “Saint Lucia being a small country,” knows “how [climate change] can impact our farmers.”
He added, “Our farmers are really struggling now and I am happy that they will get some level of relief. They will get some bags of fertilizers that will help reduce the cost of production.”
Last month, Morocco’s fertilizer giant, OCP Group, announced its plans to distribute more than 500 tonnes of fertilizers to farmers worldwide, through donations and special offers for partners.
By the end of July, Rwanda and Gambia benefited from the program, receiving respectively 15,000 tonnes and 13,000 tonnes of phosphate fertilizers from OCP amid a global shortage of fertilizers linked to the war in Ukraine.
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