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Join on Telegram Rabat – The 6th International Agriculture and Animal Resources Exhibition (SARA 2023) in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire is serving as a platform to enable Moroccan fertilizer giant OCP Africa to reiterate its commitment towards contributing to agricultural development on the continent.
During the event, taking place from September 29 to October 8, OCP Africa is sharing its expertise and highlighting the positive impacts of its contributions to the development of agriculture, including in Cote d’Ivoire.
The group issued a statement on Monday, recalling the cooperation agreement that OCP Africa and the Cote d’Ivoire government signed in 2022 to strengthen agricultural production systems.
Under the partnership, the agreement aims to promote the development of the processing industry as well as encourage inclusive growth.
“In collaboration with Ivorian authorities, OCP Africa has identified five high-impact priority projects that are currently being implemented throughout the country,” the Moroccan company said in the statement.
Stressing the importance of Côte d’Ivoire’s potential, CEO of OCP Africa Mohamed Anouar Jamali described the African country as a “true agricultural treasure in Africa.”
Jamali made his remarks during his speech at the SARA exhibition.
Citing satisfying data, Jamali recalled that Cote d’Ivoire is the world’s leading cocoa producer, with a production increase of nearly 50% in 10 years.
Touting other important numbers, the executive stressed that the country is also the second-largest African producer and the ninth-largest in the world of palm oil.
“Our group is engaged in multiple transformative projects in alignment with the national agricultural development strategy,” he said.
OCP Africa’s key priorities include the modernization of agriculture through different schemes, including supporting small farmers and adopting suitable practices and technologies.
“By collaborating with the Ivorian government, we are proud to actively contribute to unlocking Cote d’Ivoire’s agricultural potential for the benefit of the nation and its people,” he concluded.
OCP Africa and Cote d’Ivoire
One of the projects under the two parties’ cooperation agreement put a focus on the creation and operation of 10 “New Generation Agricultural Service Centers” (CSAs), three of which are already operating in Korhogo – where nearly 2,000 tonnes of fertilizers have been distributed to small farmers.
The CSAs also exist in Odienne with 4,500 hectares of fully mechanized cereal crops, and in the capital Yamoussokouro.
Recalling the fruit of its partnership with the West African country, OCP Africa also outlined its second project, which involves the establishment of a geographic and agricultural information system hub.
The platform aimed at developing a decision support tool for frequent assessment of agricultural activities.
“This technology will provide crucial information for agricultural policy development, in-season interventions through comprehensive crop monitoring, and decision-making for all stakeholders, including farmers,” OCP Africa said.
OCP Africa stressed that around 100 agents are collecting field data, allowing for the adjustment of the platform’s models to facilitate automatic crop identification and real-time crop growth monitoring, among other features.
The third project under the partnership includes the construction of the first digital agriculture school in Africa called the Digital Farming School (DFS). The construction of the school is in partnership with the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) and the Felix Houphouet Boigny Polytechnic Institute in Yamoussoukro.
“This innovative Agri-Tech training concept, coupled with a 170-hectare digital agricultural experimental farm, represents a tangible contribution to the vision of the President of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, SEM Alassane Ouattara, who declared 2023 as the Year of Youth,” the statement added.
The construction of the institutions has been progressing in the past four months, with the first batch expected in September 2024, OCP Africa announced.
OCP Africa at the 6th International Agriculture and Animal Resources Exhibition (SARA 2023) in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
Outlining the other two projects, OCP Africa recalled the launch of a startup incubation program in digital agriculture, with the aim to support innovative projects in the field.
The fifth project includes the structuring of the value chain for cereal crops, with the establishment of model farms as cornerstones.
Food insecurity activism
OCP Group, through its branches including OCP Africa, has been determined to contribute to strengthening the continent’s food security.
The group frequently launches initiatives to assist farmers, governments, and startups in tackling challenges hampering production.
Earlier this year in January, Jamali reiterated OCP Africa’s commitment to helping improve food security in the continent, recalling the group’s allocation of four million tonnes of fertilizer adapted to African soil and crops for the continent.
The allocation aims to bring impact to 44 million farmers on the continent, Jamali said during the Dakar 2 Summit which took place in January in Senegal.
The supply represents an increase of over double OCP’s allocation to Africa in 2021, he noted, stressing the importance of a holistic approach the group is taking to contribute to Africa’s agricultural development.
Food insecurity in Africa is affecting an estimated 140 million people, according to the Global Report on Food Crises 2022-Mid Year Update.
This means that at least one in five Africans goes to bed hungry, the World Bank warned last year.
