COMESA, AFAP partner over fertiliser

DOREEN NAWA, Lusaka
THE Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the African Fertiliser and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) have launched a joint programme to enable members in the region to increase supply and use of fertiliser among smallholder farmers.
The partnership is designed to develop agribusiness in rural areas.
In a statement to mark the launch of the joint fertiliser initiative, AFAP President Jason Scarpone said the goal of the cooperation is to enhance regional trade in fertiliser and food staples, food security and incomes by strengthening small and medium-scale enterprises that are essential for increasing competitiveness and integrating farmers into national, regional and international market to catalyse rural transformation.
This partnership will also strengthen the Eastern and Southern Africa Fertiliser Stakeholders’ Forum as an avenue for sustained dialogue between the public and private sector in catalysing the growth of fertiliser markets in the region.
This will be a landmark achievement that will spur COMESA’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
COMESA and AFAP have committed themselves to working together in establishing a fertiliser trade facility comprising a set of financial instruments through investments in medium-scale enterprises working along the fertiliser value chain.
“Fertiliser has been highly effective in increasing the quantity of food produced globally. It also holds enormous potential for improving human welfare by improving the quality of food for many Africans still living in Poverty,” said Mr Scarpone said.
Mr Scarpone said the partnership with COMESA is based on the organisation’s membership of over 19 countries and its co-mandate on trade facilitation in the region and AFAP’s commitment to facilitating a regional fertiliser trade facility.
And COMESA’s Secretary General, Sindiso Ngwenya said, “boosting private sector investment in fertiliser production, supply and use in the region is a major priority. The AFAP model in enhancing use and usage of fertiliser is a proven instrument for rural transformation.”