Morocco donated, on Friday, 5,000 tonnes of fertilizer for the benefit of small Mauritanian farmers, as part of a major program to support African farmers, launched by the OCP Group.
By facilitating access to suitable fertilizers, the OCP Group, through its subsidiary OCP Africa, is committed to supporting African farmers in order to contribute to feeding the populations of the continent, while improving the health of their soils and preserving the environment.
The fertilizers will be specifically intended for smallholder farmers who represent the majority of food producers in Mauritania and more than 90% of whom are dedicated to staple crops such as rice.
This program initiated by OCP, the world leader in the plant nutrition and phosphate fertilizer market, has more than 4 million beneficiary farmers across the continent, including 50,000 in Mauritania.
Speaking during the donation ceremony, the Director General of OCP Africa, Anouar Jamali, indicated that Mauritania has been identified as the main beneficiary of this support program, which will contribute to strengthening the partnership and bonds of solidarity between Morocco and Mauritania.
In line with the integrated and farmer-centric approach of the OCP Group, this support program will also integrate the training and awareness-raising of farmers on best agricultural practices in terms of sustainable fertilization, supply chain support as well as access to finance and markets, noted Mr. Jamali.
And to emphasize that the Kingdom, which attaches paramount importance to the promotion of cooperation with southern countries in terms of sustainable development, is working through OCP Africa to develop the continent’s capacities and create added value in favor of the peoples.
In the wake of the unprecedented food crisis and the negative effects induced by climate change, the OCP Group, on the High Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, launched the first phase of its major fertilizer program, to contribute to a sustainable transition of agricultural systems in the continent, the official said.
This Initiative, he continued, is also the result of the Group’s significant investment over the past ten years in Africa-focused R&D, carried out in collaboration with agronomic institutes and research universities across the continent.
And to explain that this long-term work has made it possible to develop innovative solutions to stimulate crop productivity while preserving the environment and soil health.
For his part, the Mauritanian Minister of Agriculture, Yahya ould Ahmed El Waghf, affirmed that the delivery of this donation joins the efforts made by the two countries to strengthen their bilateral cooperation, welcoming in this regard the considerable support of the Kingdom. to the Mauritanian agricultural sector through the distribution of fertilizers and selected seeds.
Morocco’s Ambassador to Mauritania, Hamid Chabar, for his part, said that this donation reflects the strong ties of cooperation and solidarity constantly expressed by HM the King towards brotherly and friendly African countries, at their head, the Islamic Republic. from Mauritania
This initiative, adds Mr. Chabar, reflects the strength of the fraternal ties between the two countries and testifies to the Kingdom’s involvement in supporting the agricultural sector and exchanging expertise with all friendly and brotherly African countries.
He underlined that the strategic partnership that brings together Morocco and Mauritania today, as well as the great momentum experienced by their bilateral relations, is none other than the expression of the will of the leaders of the two countries to go from forward in strengthening the ties that unite the two brotherly peoples.
With MAP
