Addis Ababa, 11 April 2016 (ECA) – The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has reiterated the need for an adequate use of fertilizers for sustained productivity in the continent’s agricultural practices. The reminder was made by two ECA economists speaking on behalf of Executive Secretary, Carlos Lopes at the 29th Session of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Regional Conference for Africa, which has just concluded in the Ivorian capital, Abidjan.
Speaking at a High level panel on progress on fertilizer use within the context of follow-up to the 2006 Abuja Declaration on Fertilizers for an African Green Revolution, the ECA economists - Adama Coulibaly and Nassirou Ba – informed the over 50 African agriculture and related sectors’ ministers in attendance, of the upcoming publication by the Commission of a study on Fertilizer Production, Cross Border Trade and Consumption on the continent. In conducting the study, they said, ECA has fulfilled a mandate given to it during the 2nd meeting of the Governing Council of Africa Fertilizers Financing Mechanism (AFFM) in July 2015 in Addis Ababa.
During discussions at the high level event chaired by the African Union Commission’s (AUC) Commissioner of the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture of the AUC – Tumisiime Rhoda Peace, the ministers requested that a High Level Meeting be organised by AUC and FAO to be dedicated to the ECA Report which is under production. This would be the major item on the agenda of the next meeting of the Governing Council of the AFFM.
It would be recalled that the original pledge by member States in the 2006 Abuja Declaration on Fertilizers for an African Green Revolution Abuja was to increase their fertilizer use from 8kg per hectare to 50kg per hectare by 2015. However since that pledge, fertilizer use across the continent has moved to a maximum of between 13 and 15kg per hectare, far below the target. Kenya is known to be the only exception, with a record use of 30kg of fertilizers per hectare of farmed land on average. ECA’s forthcoming report, it is hoped, will help reinvigorate member States’ commitment to meeting the set target, among other things.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economique Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: ecainfo@uneca.org