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Rabat – The third Africa Fertilizer Financing Forum opened in Casablanca today, convening experts, agricultural specialists, as well as agriculturally-interested organizations to discuss solutions to improve Africa’s fertilizer ecosystem.
Both Morocco’s OCP Africa and the African Development Bank Group are hosting the event amid the urgent threat of a growing agricultural production crisis, where the need to promote fertilizer improvement is vital.
The symposium also aims to serve as a hub, where exports and stakeholders in the field can discuss cooperation and partnerships that aim to improve access to financing and boost agricultural productivity.
Faced with drought and the ongoing Ukraine crisis, Africa is in need of self-reliance to tackle growing challenges facing the continent’s population.
According to ACBF, the continent currently faces a shortage of over 30 million metric tons of food, particularly cereals like wheat.
Despite its growing food crisis, the continent is home to over 60% of the world’s arable uncultivated land. However, Africa continues to import millions of tonnes of food, including rice among others.
According to the World Bank, the continent’s food import bills have more than “tripled, reaching $35 billion a year.”
The World Bank’s 2020 report said that the majority of the imported food could be “produced locally, creating much-needed jobs and incomes for nations’ youth and smallholder farmers.”
Aware of the need for fertilizers to promote the continent’s food security, OCP Africa has been active in creating initiatives aimed at helping smallholder farmers to grow their agriculture yields.
In September, OCP Africa signed a memorandum of understanding with Fertilizer Canada and the African Plant Nutrition Insititute to support smallholder farmers. The agreement aims to improve food security on the continent as well as to promote the proper management of fertilizer to reduce waste and boost yields.
OCP’s Chairman Advisor Iliass El Fali has recently outlined the importance of fertilizers in managing food security. Acknowledging pressure due to the global context, including the rising cost of agricultural production, El Fali emphasized “the importance of fertilizers to ensure sustainability.”
