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Join on Telegram Rabat – Morocco has donated 5,000 tonnes of fertilizers to smallholder farmers in Mauritania.
The donation, which took place on Friday, is part of Morocco’s OCP Program to support African farmers as the continent faces a food security crisis.
The fertilizers will benefit smallholder farmers who represent the majority of food producers in Mauritania.
Through its subsidiary OCP Africa, the OCP Group aims to support African farmers and contribute to ensuring food security in Africa.
Director General of OCP Africa Anouar Jamali commented on the donation emphasizing that Mauritania has been identified as the main beneficiary of the program, which serves over four million farmers across Africa.
The program, which serves 50,000 farmers in Mauritania, seeks to contribute to straightening the cooperation and partnership between Morocco and its southern neighbor, Jamali said, noting that OCP’s mechanism will also integrate training and awareness raising on best agricultural practices in terms of sustainable fertilization, supply chain, as well as access to finance and markets.
Morocco’s OCP launched the first phase of the fertilizer program under the instructions of King Mohammed VI, to contribute to a sustainable transition of agricultural systems on the continent, Jamali emphasized.
The program is also part of OCP’s investments over the past 10 years in Africa-focused research and development in collaboration with agronomic institutes and research universities across the continent.
Mauritania’s Minister of Agriculture Yahia Ould Ahmed El Waghf commended Morocco’s initiative, emphasizing that the donation joins the “efforts made by the two countries to strengthen their bilateral cooperation.”
The Mauritanian official also welcomed Morocco’s support for his country’s agricultural sector through the distribution of fertilizers and seeds.
Morocco’s ambassador to Mauritania Hamid Chabar also commented on the initiative, stressing that the donation reflects the “strength of the fraternal ties” between the two countries.
Morocco’s OCP made several similar donations, benefiting thousands of farmers across the continent.
One of the recent initiatives was in October, when Morocco donated 25,0000 tonnes of fertilizer to smallholder farmers in Senegal.
The donation included 10,000 tonnes of di-ammonium phosphate, 5,000 tonnes of triple super phosphate, and 10,000 tonnes of fertilizer which was sold at reduced prices for small Senegalese producers.
In July, OCP also donated 15,000 tonnes of di-ammonium phosphate fertilizer to Rwanda.
