Rabat – Mostafa Terrab was elected president of the International Fertilizer Association (IFA), becoming the first African leader of the organization on June 13.
The IFA is a global body which promotes the interests of the fertilizer industry
Terrab is the CEO of the world’s largest fertilizer exporter, the Morocco-based OCP Group, which is committed to feeding the growing global population in a sustainable manner.
Both OCP Group and the IFA were founded nearly a century ago and while OCP Group has always placed emphasis on improving agriculture within Africa, the IFA has shifted its focus to the region as well.
The IFA aims to promote efficient production and distribution of fertilization around the world as well as serving as a space for collaboration among its 480 members. Members are spread across 68 countries and account for 80 percent of the world’s fertilizer production. Forty-five percent of members are based in developing countries.
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As the world’s population grows, there will be greater demand for food. Both OCP Group and the IFA are working to increase soil fertility and support sustainable agriculture in Africa to take advantage of the agricultural potential throughout the continent.
Africa has the lowest fertilizer consumption in the world. Low soil fertility contributes to low crop yields which makes it more difficult to produce enough food for the population.
Throughout his two year term, Terrab said he hopes to increase the use of fertilizers in Africa and bring more young people and women into agriculture.
Terrab received both his Master’s in Engineering and a PhD in Operational Research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Before joining OCP Group in 2006, he served as an advisor in the Royal Cabinet and as a lead regulator specialist at the World Bank.
