2023-06-05 22:39:11
In West Africa, the course is set. 17 countries in the region united their voices and their forces on May 31 by adopting the Lomé Declaration on fertilizers and soil health. To achieve this, they plan to triple their fertilizer consumption. Ultimately, the development of this sector might create many direct and indirect jobs in the region, especially for young people.
The strengthening of the fertilizer sector will first have repercussions on the agricultural sector, the main provider of employment in the region, as recalled by Ousmane Diagana, Vice-President of the World Bank for West and Center :
« Agriculture, as you know, is in essence the sector that creates a lot of jobs, that generates a lot of income and it is clear that one of the development issues that we are supporting here is the job creation. In Africa, each year, it is nearly 300 million people entering the labor market. I think that if we say that it is the private sector that must create jobs in Africa, it is the agricultural private sector. »
In West Africa, the agricultural sector alone employs nearly half of the region’s workforce. “ If states manage to double their agricultural productivity by 2035, it might be even more attractive “says Alain Sy Traoré, Director of Agriculture and Rural Development at the ECOWAS Commission.
« Let’s not forget that we still have an extremely young population. Many statistics give us proportions of 60 to 70% of our population who are under 35 years old. It is the active force and therefore available. If it finds an interest in producing and increasing productivity: 5 tonnes per hectare of maize instead of 1.5 tonnes; 3 or 4 tons of cotton instead of 1.5 tons; 10 tons per hectare of rice instead of 2-3 tons. I think this will create jobs, but also boost the attractiveness of the sector adds Alain Sy Traoré.
Transforming the agricultural sector
The strengthening of the fertilizer sector will thus promote employment in the agricultural sector, but also in industry, continues the representative of ECOWAS.
« Who says increase in agricultural productivity, says creation of income in rural areas, also says organization of the development of these sectors, in terms of industrialization. And when we invest in industrial phosphate processing units, we create jobs. In short, everything is good for us. »
To develop intra-regional fertilizer trade, West African leaders pledge to accelerate investment in port, storage and transport infrastructure. Three areas in which employment prospects should also develop.
► To read also: Togo: 17 African countries adopt a declaration on fertilizers to transform their agriculture
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