An expert has said that increasing Nigeria’s food production in a sustainable way would be possible only with a balanced and rational use of fertilisers by farmers.
Caleb Usoh, country manager, OCP Africa said this during his participation at the just concluded African Farming Second Edition Agribusiness Summit held in Abuja.
Usoh said there was a need to boost food production to keep up with the country’s rapidly growing population.
As part of the broader OCP Africa vision, he said there was a plan to help Nigeria reach self-sufficiency in fertiliser production.
To do so, he said OCP Africa planned $1 billion investments to bolster Nigeria’s fertiliser production capacity.
He said the plant would also ensure a decrease in Nigeria’s imports of NPK fertilisers, which is a combination of the three macronutrients: Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Through the plants, he said OCP Africa had set ambitious goals to reach more farmers in the country.
He noted that farmers would be trained in modern agricultural techniques to drive up yearly output. He added that the fertiliser giant has initiated a number of projects that have massively upgraded the farmers’ practice in terms of sustainable agriculture and food security.
In its bid to work hand-in-hand with farmers and contribute in the unlocking Africa’s vast agricultural potentials, Usoh said the company launched its ‘Agribooster Offer’ aimed at boosting food production in the country.
The ‘Agribooster Offer’ initiative for food crops provides farmers with support for every aspect of the agricultural value chain. Through this OCP Africa connects farmers to financing and insurance, working with local extension agents to train them on proper fertiliser use, collaborating with other providers to ensure they have the right fertilizers and other inputs.
OCP Group, which holds 75 percent of the world’s phosphate reserves, is one of the leading exporters and producers of raw phosphate, phosphate-based fertilizers, and phosphoric acid in the world. The company develops precision agriculture techniques to help farmers improve the quality and yields of their crops.
Josephine Okojie
