Over the years, Nigerian farmers have been faced with several impediments to obtaining optimal value from their farmlands, ranging from low access to quality inputs, infertile soil and inadequate training on good agricultural practices.
These challenges continued to pose a threat to the federal government food security agenda.
In addressing them, Nigeria needs to focus on soil and crop specific fertilisers which is an emerging trend in global agriculture practice due to different soil nutrient compositions.
OCP Africa, a world leader in phosphate and its derivatives, believes that efficient use of specialty fertiliser is one of the best ways to increase farmers’ productivity and ensure food security.
That is why the company established several blending plants in Nigeria to champion fertiliser self sufficiency in the country.
Recently, while launching its Kaduna fertiliser blending plant as part of the company’s strategic investment tailored toward strengthening Nigeria’s fertiliser industry for self-sufficiency, Chief executive officer, OCP Africa, Dr Mohamed Anouar said impacting the country’s agricultural value chain remains at the heart of the company as it is committed to contributing to the transformation of food systems in the continent.
The ultra-modern “Centre of Excellence” plant which is equipped with state-of-the-art facility, is among the two other plants cited in Sokoto and Ogun States with capacity to deliver 120 metric tonnes production of customised fertilizer per hour and a combined capacity to produce 500,000MT per year.
Also speaking at the inauguration of the plant, Kaduna State, governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai said that the reality of the project was evidenced that Kaduna State remains a safe haven for investors, adding that every new factory in the state implies more jobs and bringing of income that helps to feed families and reduce poverty.
Dr Anouar further said, “At OCP Africa we are convinced that the efficient use of customised fertilisers is one of the best ways to increase farmers’ productivity and ensure food security, to provide these high quality fertilisers in the Nigeria agricultural space, we had within the past six years with local partners sponsored several research and development projects which have resulted in the formulation of bespoke fertilisers recommendation for different crop types in Nigeria.”
Also, the senior vice president, OCP Africa, Mohamed Hettiti, who introduced the key features of the blending plant pointed out that the Kaduna Centre of Excellence came with a dosing system capable of producing macro and micronutrients as well as a liquid dosing feature.
He said, “The next big step was the need to translate the research outcomes into fertilizer products for farmers, and that informed our investment to establish this ultra-modern fertiliser blending plant that we are commissioning today.”
