Browsing: African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP)

Africa fertilizer

Africa’s plan to enhance fertilizer access and soil health takes root

Industry and Trade
  • African nations commit to creating a soil health fund to support research, innovation, and capacity building on fertiliser usage.
  • AfDB agrees to mobilise financing to ease fertilizer availability, de-risk farmer investments, and support policy reforms across the continent.
  • In Nairobi, governments commit to formulating policies that will serve to create a conducive environment for fertilizer and soil health interventions.

Africa fertilizer supply is a multi-billion dollar industry that at the moment, is tapped by Western countries, particularly and ironically, Russia and Ukraine. Just as hard lessons were learnt in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so was the need to invest in fertilizer production and distribution brought to light in the wake of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The war led to a severe shortage of fertilizers in Africa and now, in an effort to mitigate the challenge African Heads of State have committed to support the full operationalization of the …

The EU insists that it has not put sanctions on Russia's food and fertilizer export, yet the global supply of much-needed fertilizer is extremely short, is Russia hoarding fertilizer supplies? Photo/Siasat

Amidst sanctions and shortages, Russia’s fertilizer finds its way to Africa

Industry and Trade
  • EU insists it has not put sanctions on food and fertilizers from Russia
  • Malawi receives the first consignment of 20,000 tonnes of Russian fertilizers
  • The EU, UN might consider releasing more fertilizers and food embargoed at European ports to Africa

The EU insists that food and fertilizer are not part of the sanctions it has imposed on Russia due to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, yet the global supply of much-needed fertilizer is in short supply which begs the question; is Russia hoarding fertiliser supplies?

While the EU says it is not to blame, Russia says it is the Western sanctions that are causing the decrease in fertilizer exports. It only makes sense that Russia would hold back fertilizers to increase its own domestic food production in the face of future uncertainties in the still very volatile situation.

The sanctions on other sectors of Russia’s economy are spiralling to the …

Fertilizer production in Africa is gaining momentum.

Africa becoming a global fertilizer production hub

Industry and Trade

Africa continues to grapple with what has been described by the UN, as the ’perfect storm of horrors’, due to the plethora of troubles that has hit the continent. From the climate change crisis, drought and famine, conflict, Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. The war has especially wreaked havoc on the continent’s food security, due to disruptions in global supply chains pertinently in food, fuel and fertilizers. Food insecurity in the continent was already at an all-time high before the war, principally in the Horn of Africa due to the locust invasion which was climate-induced. The situation was worsened by the pandemic, but the war has caused a full-blown hunger crisis in many regions. Fertilizer shortages and their high prices thereof, continue to exacerbate the hunger quagmire.

According to the 2022 Global Report of Food Crises Mid-Year Update report, at least one in five Africans goes to bed hungry,…

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