The Moroccan Cherifian Phosphates Office (OCP) reiterates its commitment to directing 20% of its production to the African market, during the 5th edition of the EU-Africa Business Summit organized this Thursday in Brussels. ”OCP stands with Africa,” said a group official.
Advisor to the CEO of OCP, Iliass El Fali, assured that since fertilizers “are vital for food security”, the world leader in phosphates will maintain its commitment to continue its role of contributing to food security. world.
Participant in the panel “EU-Africa in times of food security crisis: towards a renewed partnership”, which brought together a number of agricultural experts from Africa and the European Union, Iliass El Fali acknowledged that “ today, food systems are threatened with scarcity”.
The OCP official highlighted the effects of rising global commodity prices, due to post-pandemic inflation and the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, saying this contributes to the inaccessibility of vital fertilizers that would guarantee a stable food supply.
“The cost of ammonia quadrupled in the last year,” El Fali said, explaining that it “puts a lot of pressure on farmers,” which is pushing back food security on the continent.
According to the adviser, OCP sees in this challenge an opportunity to encourage actors in African agriculture “to stay alongside farmers”, adding that the Moroccan group has decided to increase its production by 10% to help farmers to avoid shortages.
“OCP stands alongside Africa”, assures El Fali, specifying that the group is committed to dedicating 20% of its capacities to the continent, because “it is the moment for the actors to be present in building the resilience of agricultural systems”, considering that “Africa has the opportunity to become a central contributor to global agriculture and food supply in the long term.
El Fali said he was pleased with the renewed international interest in food security, which is mainly the result of the disruptions of the Russian-Ukrainian war on world markets, saying that “this would be the perfect time to correct some misconceptions about current topic”.
“Without fertilizer, global agricultural production would be halved,” the official revealed, highlighting the value of OCP’s contribution to Africa’s agricultural productions and the group’s focus on small-scale farmers, who in turn, “represent 30% to 40% of global food production”. .”
M. El Fali also highlighted the role of fertilizers in sustainable and clean agriculture and agricultural production, saying that the proper use of fertilizers can significantly benefit soil health, which could help limit the progress of climate change.
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