On December 11th, 2019, Morocco and Ghana launched Africa’s first soil mapping and fertilizer expansion program. Entitled “Ghana Fertilizer Expansion Programme,” the project will take place in Accra. It is a collaboration between Morocco’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the OCP Foundation of Morocco, and Ghana. The program has three thematic areas “to equip Ghana’s fertilizer and soil laboratories for improved fertilizer, soil quality testing, and sustainable management.”
To help achieve these goals, the Casablanca based Moroccan OCP Chemicals Company is providing a wet laboratory. It also extending support to the Accra Soil laboratory to make it functional. These objectives will help bring Ghana’s laboratories up to par with international standards.
According to Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, the program is divided into four aims: (1) to develop the fertilizer industrial sector of Ghana through blending techniques and natural gas resources; (2) to develop the entire fertilizer value chain through improved agronomy services, training, capacity building, and education of our farmers; (3) to optimize the cost inefficiencies along the fertilizer value chain; (4) and to drive fertilizer consumption by our smallholder farmers. ” Among many things, the activities will help generate jobs and make fertilizers more accessible to Ghanaian farmers.
Additionally, a soil fertility map will also be used to help assess Ghana’s soil fertility and crop nutrition.
Imane Ouaadil, the Moroccan Ambassador to Ghana, affirmed that ” this project is essential to the agricultural development of both Ghana and Morocco. Agriculture is a key part of the Moroccan economy. This unique partnership will strengthen both the country’s relations and offer signficant benefits. “