Moroccan firm, OCP Group, has donated 15,000 tonnes of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilisers, to Rwanda to increase farm productivity efforts.
Gerardine Mukeshimana, the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources said the contribution is important especially in this period when fertiliser costs are high, mainly as a result of two factors; the war involving Russia and Ukraine and the rising transport costs associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. Russia and Ukraine are the leading potash fertiliser exporters. Their conflict triggered an increase in prices of natural gas [one of the key ingredients in fertiliser manufacturing].
“We are fortunate that our friends from OCP have donated 15,000 tonnes of DAP fertilisers. That is something being injected into the sector. Of that committed amount, 10,000 tonnes are going to be used as a strategic fertiliser reserve. That means we have a stock of fertilisers and whenever there is a need, we can be able to inject it into the farming community,” Mukeshimana said.
African food sovereignty
The remaining stock is going to be a free starting stock of the fertiliser blending plant to support the launch of its production of adapted fertilisers. OCP Group is committed to supply Rwanda with additional 17,000 tonnes DAP fertilisers at a discounted price. This is part of the Group’s initiative to empower African farmers and ensure African food sovereignty.
“We believe that smallholder farmers are integral to the agricultural sector in Rwanda. With the repercussions of the Ukraine war on fertiliser prices and effects of drought in Eastern Africa, the situation may be unbearable for smallholder farmers and disastrous for food security,” said Mohamed Anouar Jamali, CEO of OCP Africa.
According to Prime Minister, Edouard Ngirente,the average fertiliser use in Rwanda rose from 32 kilogrammes per hectare in 2017 to 60 kilogrammes per hectare in 2021. According to prices announced in January this year by the Ministry, imported DAP reached Rwanda costing Rwf1,435 a kilogramme (without the Government subsidy of Rwf603 or 42 percent of the cost).
As such, the committed 15,000 tonnes (or 15 million kilogrammes) of DAP are worth about Rwf21 billion. In the current fiscal year, RAB targeted to distribute at least 3,430 tonnes of quality seeds, 50,179 tonnes of fertilisers amid the rising costs of this farm input, as well as 37,736 tonnes of lime with Government subsidy.
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