Ghana is among three priority countries for the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), which is working to increase market competition and sustainability in the fertilizer value chain.

The Partnership is an independent non-profit innovation created by African development organizations to build on the work of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), a framework for achieving ambitious agricultural development goals set by African nations.

The fertilizer industries in Ghana, Mozambique and Tanzania are presently receiving a $25 million support from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to establish regional fertilizer and agribusiness development units.

AFAP Vice President, Prof. Richard Mlomboji Mkandawire, says the partnership is an innovative intervention that will promote the fertilizer market across Africa.

“For Ghana obviously we’d like to see increased support to establishment of agro dealer networks; networks that can genuinely emerge as business entities that can grow to become importers of fertilizer” he noted.

AFAP has set the goal of increasing the number of fertilizer users by 15 percent and at least double total fertilizer use in the countries where it works.

Among the CAADP priorities is a call for increased use of agricultural inputs, including fertilizer.

However, the implementation of fertilizer subsidy programmes by most African countries has being politically tainted to the disadvantage of poor smallholder farmer.

Prof. Mkandawire noted that “governments will need to continue with subsidies but these must be smart subsidies; subsidies that are well focused and targeted at those who need fertilizer most, not those who are well-off high- jacking the fertilizer subsidy”.

AFAP sees its work as a contribution to CAADP’s aim of bolstering fertilizer markets and engaging the private sector in realizing goals set by African leaders.
Private agribusinesses are offered incentives, initiatives and capability to support farmers to source and use fertilizer.

“For the past few years, we have had a vision of uniting the public and private sectors to benefit African smallholder farmers. With AFAP now and running, we have started on the work of bolstering the fertilizer marketplace in Africa and encouraging consistent and responsible fertilizer use so smallholder farmers can grow food and profits”, stated AFAP President and CEO, Jason Scarpone.

The AFAP was launched on the sidelines of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF 2012) in Arusha, Tanzania.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh/ in Arusha, Tanzania