1. Agriculture in africa, a vector for economic growth

In Africa, the agricultural sector is at the heart of economies. With a contribution of 30% of GDP and 55% of the working population in agriculture, the industry is of paramount importance for the continent's socio-economic development. African agriculture has considerable assets. On the one hand, Africa is full of vast tracts of arable land, precisely 65% of the arable land available on the planet. On the other hand, the continent can count on a diversity of agro-ecological zones and climates, which creates a vast potential for agricultural products grown and marketed on domestic and export markets.

Despite rising production levels in recent years, the African continent continues to be a net importer of agricultural products to meet the basic food needs of its population. Despite structural changes, the import bill will rise from $45 billion in 2019 to $100 billion by 2030. The agricultural sector could lead to unprecedented socio-economic development on the continent, with high economic growth rates.

2. Smallholder farmers
at the heart of the agricultural revolution

At the heart of the agricultural sector are small family farmers, who make up nearly 80% of the farming population. They carry most of the continent's production. This family structure of farms largely determines decision-making processes, work organization, and the management of production factors. This model explains the modest size of the plots, limited technological and capital levels, and therefore the low agricultural productivity of these family farms. Modest yields are essentially the result of common use of fertilizers and seeds, a lack of mechanization, due to lack of access to appropriate financial services.

Therefore, an agricultural revolution in Africa will have to be supported by a comprehensive approach centered around farmers, facilitating their access to inputs, training, and financial instruments. More importantly, farmers will need access to structured markets to market their products and grow their businesses.

3. African union at the heart
of the continent's agricultural
transformation

Modernization is essential to increase agricultural yields, given the challenges. This modernization project is one of the flagship projects of the African Union, materialized in its Agenda 2063. The first aspiration of this ambitious plan is to achieve a "prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development" through a radical transformation of agriculture, which will enable the continent to feed itself and be a significant player as a net food exporter.

The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) is one of the continental frameworks of Agenda 2063. It aims to help African countries eliminate hunger and reduce poverty by promoting economic growth through agricultural-oriented development and increased budgets for the agricultural sector. Through the ADADP, African governments should increase the level of investment in agriculture by devoting at least 10% of their national budgets to agriculture and rural development and achieve an agricultural growth rate of at least 6% per year

As part of the 10th anniversary of the CAADP, the AU launched the "Year of Agriculture and Food Security" in 2014. The culmination of this symbolic year came at the 23rd Ordinary Session of the Malabo Assembly in Equatorial Guinea. The Heads of State and Government adopted the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Growth of Agriculture and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods. AU Heads of State and Government have pledged to eradicate hunger by 2025. To achieve this, they have also committed to halving current post-harvest loss levels by 2025.

4. Morocco - Africa,
a virtuous dynamic

His Majesty King Mohammed VI's speech on the 45th anniversary of the Green March reaffirmed the importance of proximity to the African continent for the Kingdom of Morocco. The Moroccan sovereign intends to make Africa the flagship continent of the 21st century, drawing on Moroccan economic resources.

The Moroccan sovereign has favored high-impact, wealth-creating structuring projects that will improve economic competitiveness and accelerate social development."

As a result of this creative and proactive strategy, Morocco has been a pioneer in greater intra-African cooperation, hence its weight in African direct investment and the presence of a dozen Moroccan companies among the companies championing integration.

These are the findings of the latest report by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), which lists 150 pioneering companies paving the way for greater integration. Half of them are African-owned companies, and the other half are multinationals with a long-standing presence on the continent. There are 19 countries represented in the African Pioneers, with South Africa and Morocco in the lead, and among them is the OCP Group in a strong position.

OCP Group has naturally responded to the royal vision for an African green revolution. As a leading Moroccan company and world leader in phosphate, OCP Group is fully committed to taking tangible actions to achieve sustainability in Africa. The company helps promote the sharing of experiences, strengthen cooperation, create partnerships, and implement innovative solutions to meet the needs of sustainable transformation of African agriculture.

To mark this commitment and carry out its African ambitions, OCP Group set up a dedicated subsidiary in December 2015: OCP Africa. Its creation was announced at the seventh International Conference, "Argus FMB Africa Fertilizer 2016," which brought together, on 25 and 26 February in Marrakech, 400 delegates from 55 countries, including more than twenty from Africa.

Since then, OCP Africa has implemented a range of projects and programs to benefit African farmers by contributing to the development of integrated agricultural ecosystems.

1. For efficient and sustainable agriculture

Between 2016 and 2021, OCP Africa has stepped up its efforts to promote efficient and structured agriculture by signing several agreements and partnerships under His Majesty King Mohammed VI with Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Guinea.

2. An inclusive
and "human-centric" approach

African agriculture is at a historic turning point, a moment of transformation that opens the field of possibilities for all farmers and industry players.

Africa can become a world leader in sustainable agriculture, using its resources to unleash its immense agricultural potential and feed its growing population. This is OCP Africa's guiding principle.

To materialize this conviction, OCP Africa has developed a comprehensive, integrated approach that puts humans at the center.

3. Invest heavily and act locally

OCP Africa is investing heavily and locally to create production basins by installing integrated chemical platforms in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Ghana, which will build on locally available natural resources.

These industrial platforms aim to produce sufficient locally adequate fertilizers and export surpluses to other parts of the world. Another critical component of our strategy to strengthen local production is establishing blenders and storage units based on specific needs and country-specific solutions. Infrastructure projects complete this approach in several African countries, including Rwanda, Côte d'Ivoire, Tanzania, Senegal, and Mozambique.

These projects will improve the accessibility of quality fertilizers, adapted to be more agile, and respond effectively to farmers' expectations. Locally-produced fertilizers will help boost fertilizer production in support of integrated chain development strategies, such as rice in Senegal, wheat in Ethiopia, or maize in Nigeria.

There is widespread agreement that the private sector is essential in modernizing African agriculture. However, private companies alone will have a limited impact on value chains, hence the imperative to focus on partnerships between public and private sectors.

As a trusted partner to agricultural development visions in the region, OCP Africa provides a platform by leveraging its programs and ecosystem.

In line with the Nigerian government's strategy and priorities, OCP Africa aims to contribute to developing and expanding the country's agricultural potential. The subsidiary of the OCP Group provides support, through a holistic, inclusive and partnership approach that supports all players in the agricultural value chain, ranging from input suppliers to the end consumer of agricultural products.

Partnership with FEPSAN and NSIA as part of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative

In 2016, the OCP Group partnered with the Association of Fertilizer Producers and Distributors of Nigeria (FESPAN) under the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI), supported by the Nigerian Sovereign Fund (NSIA). This collaboration extends to the entire agricultural value chain, from the development of customized fertilizers, to improving the availability of fertilizers at competitive prices, to the implementation of support measures with Nigerian farmers, the contribution to the development of the supply chain and the strengthening of the local distribution network.

Thanks to the mobilization of stakeholders, the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) has established itself as a high-impact program with resounding success on all fronts. In the same vein, three OCP Africa's blending units are under construction in Kaduna, Ogun and Sokoto. These platforms, scheduled for commissioning in 2021, will have a total production capacity of 500,000 tonnes of fertilizer per year, and will serve as Excellence Centers to promote good agricultural practices and monitor technical aspects of fertilizer quality.

Industrial project

In June 2018, on the occasion of the state visit to Morocco of His Excellency Mr. Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria, the OCP Group and NSIA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop an industrial fertilizer production platform including the establishment of an ammonia plant, an annual capacity of 750,000 tonnes and a phosphate fertilizer plant, with an annual capacity of 1 million tonnes by 2025.

With an estimated investment of $1.4 billion, the project is part of the Nigerian government's import substitution program since 2016 and the launch of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI). It aims to promote local production and the supply of high quality fertilizers. This project leverage on the complementarity of natural resources between the two countries, namely Nigerian gas and Moroccan phosphate. The State of Aqua Ibom has been chosen as the location thanks to its well-established industrial ecosystem.

Total production capacity
100000 t
of fertilizer per year for 2021

an estimated investment of
$1.4 billion

IN GHANA

OCP Africa has been present in Ghana since 2016, working closely with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) on two fronts: value chain development initiatives and the establishment of a fertilizer production plant. As part of the South-South Cooperation, this partnership aims to boost the agricultural value chain.

Value chain development initiatives

The Memorandum of Understanding signed in September 2018 has helped structure and conduct OCP Africa's activities, launched in Ghana in 2016. As of 2019, OCP Africa and MoFA agreed to intensify business development initiatives (Agribooster, OCP School Lab) and to add new initiatives (soil fertility maps, digitalisation...) into the Ghana Fertilizer Expansion Programme (GFEP). As a result, the Agribooster program has seen its target for the year increased to 100,000 farmers. As far as the School Lab initiative is concerned, it has already helped over 70,000 farmers in Ghana since its launch, and 50,000 more farmers will benefit from the program in 2021.

In addition, two new fertilizer formulas have been tested for cassava, vegetables and soybeans. The process is underway to add the maize and rice formulas previously tested in the country.

Jomoro Industrial Complex

The fertilizer industrial complex will take advantage of the complementary natural resources of the two countries, Ghanaian natural gas and Moroccan phosphate to produce ammonia, and high quality fertilizers: urea and DAP for local and sub-regional markets. The plant will be located in Jomoro in the Western Region in the future petrochemical center and will use advanced and modern technologies. The project has already completed pre-feasibility and conceptual studies. With an expected investment of up to $1.3 billion, it will benefit the local economy, communities and help create a vibrant agricultural and industrial ecosystem.

IN ETHIOPIA

Dire Dawa Industrial Platform

OCP Group signed a Framework Cooperative Agreement with the Ethiopian Government, on the sidelines of the visit of His Majesty King Mohammed VI in November 2016, to construct a fertilizer production platform. It will be the second largest production platform of fertilizers on the African continent to be built in Dire Dawa, in the eastern part of the country. In its first operational phase, the future platform will produce 2.5 million tonnes of fertilizer annually and require an investment of $2.4 billion. The second phase of the project involves a 50% increase in the platform's capacity to 3.8 million tonnes of fertilizer through an additional investment of $1.2 billion. This platform will enhance the resources of both countries: phosphoric acid supplied from Morocco, gas and potash from Ethiopia.

Development of customized fertilizers in Ethiopia

Building on its experience with fertility maps in Morocco, OCP Group implemented a similar method in Ethiopia by working with the Agency for Agricultural Transformation (ATA). The results indicated that the constraint to crop growth was soil deficiency in sulphur, and led to the creation of three NPS and NPS+ fertilizer formulas for wheat, maize and teff. Tests with these new formulas have shown that yields have improved by up to 37%.

IN GUINEA

On March 3rd, 2014, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Guinea, the Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries of the Kingdom of Morocco, and the OCP Group signed a cooperation protocol for agricultural development, reasoned fertilization of agricultural land, and technical cooperation in three areas :

The development and implementation
of a soil fertility map

The establishment of an agricultural
caravan

The training of managers
and workers in the agricultural sector

In 2017, OCP Group and the Guinean government signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the OCP's supply of 100,000 tons for 2017, of which 20,000 tons were offered free of charge. As part of the South-South partnership between Morocco and the Republic of Guinea, this agreement consolidates the collaboration initiated in 2014 between the OCP Group and the Guinean state on various initiatives.

IN BURKINA FASO

In 2016, OCP Africa and the Burkina Faso Ministry of Agriculture signed a framework agreement built around the four axes:

1. Technical cooperation in the fields of phosphates;

2. Support for local phosphate processing and fertilizer distribution;

3. Support for the development of agricultural sectors;

4. Training and academic exchanges.

The objective of this state convention was to train 12,500 farmers on good agricultural practices through the campaigns of OCP School Labs, to develop a soil fertility map for a pilot zone of 140,000 Ha over 4 regions, to strengthen the capacity of some 50 agents in the fields of soil fertility, crop fertilization of geographical information systems and control of quality fertilizers, and equip two mobile soil analysis laboratories.

10000
Trained farmers

100000 ha
Soil fertility map over 4 regions

IN SENEGAL

In line with the "Plan Senegal Emergent" (PSE) and the "Programme d'Accélération de la Cadence de l'Agriculture Sénégalaise" (PRACAS), which advocate the transition from subsistence to modern and competitive agriculture, OCP Africa has teamed up with a multitude of Senegalese actors to help meet the challenges of agricultural transformation, under the Jokko Alliance. The Jokko Alliance is part of local, national, and regional agricultural development policies and strategies, which aims to contribute to the sustainable and inclusive development of the agricultural ecosystem at the national level and in the municipality of Sandiara in particular.

It was conceptualized with a holistic, partnership-driven approach to ensure the interconnection of actions throughout the value chain. The Alliance will be supported by important partners such as the Senegalese Institute for Agricultural Research (ISRA), Banque Agricole, OCP Group, the Senegalese Association for the Promotion of Development at the Base (ASPRODEB), Délégation à l'Entrepreneuriat Rapide (DER), Compagnie de production des Oléagineux (COPEOL), Mamelles Jaboot (JABOOT), the municipality of Sandiara, the Cheikh Anta DIOP University (UCAD) and the National Agricultural And Rural Council Agency (UCAD).

In its national dimension, the project will benefit around 381,000 farmers through an integrated and market-connected contract farming scheme. In addition, 1000 young people will be accompanied in various fields such as seed production, marketing of agricultural products, agri-food processing, and entrepreneurship.

IN CÔTE D'IVOIRE

As one of the most dynamic countries in West Africa, Côte d'Ivoire is mainly supported by agriculture, which accounts for over 26% of GDP. Although it has excellent potential for local production, the country is dependent on imports for about half of its rice needs. The Ministry of Rice Promotion and OCP Africa have decided, through a partnership as part of the national rice development strategy 2020-2030, to help eliminate the barriers to the full realization of the rice sector. The partnership aims to improve access to inputs, including access to suitable fertilizers, as a major lever to improve rice productivity and producer incomes.

A holistic approach will be implemented to resolve these issues, ensuring the creation of value at the local level and the socioeconomic development of rice farmers.

IN RWANDA

In 2018, OCP Africa created the Rwanda Fertilizer Company (RFC), a joint venture in partnership with Rwanda's national fertilizer distribution operator, Agro Processing Trust Corporation Ltd (APTC), and the Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources for a total investment of USD 14 million. This venture is the result of a Memorandum of Understanding signed on the sidelines of King Mohammed VI's visit to Rwanda in October 2016 between the Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources and the OCP Group.

Bugesera blending unit

Rwanda Fertilizer Company (RFC) is steering the construction and operation of a fertilizer blending unit at Bugesera Industrial Park, 50 km from the capital Kigali. The plant, which will produce more than 100,000 tonnes of fertilizer per year, will ensure the country's fertilizer needs while also supplying to neighboring countries. Pending the completion of the plant, the RFC has already begun its commercial activity by providing the government's subsidized fertilizer program.

Agronomic projects

In partnership with IFDC and the Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), OCP Africa is conducting agronomic trials in Rwanda to evaluate new fertilizer products. This project aims to test new formulas, support key RFC and RAB staff through regional training on soil-specific and crop-specific fertilizer mix. The project, which targeted strategic crops for the country, resulted in an increase of more than 20% in yields on potatoes and maize and more than 16% for rice.

Women and young people are indispensable for the transformation of agriculture in Africa. Investments in the economic empowerment of these populations are a high-dividend investment that will have a large impact on the continent's productivity, efficiency, and inclusiveness.

OCP Africa engages with these strategic populations for African agriculture and deploys innovative programs tailored to their challenges.

WOMEN IN AGRIBOOSTER

Using the Agribooster platform, OCP Africa launched the Women in Agribooster initiative in 2020 to reach 5,000 women farmers in Ghana. The initiative aims to alleviate the adverse effects of COVID19 and to ensure that women continue to produce food crops for their communities.
In addition to access to inputs, training on good agricultural practices, and market access, the program provides technical support to increase food productivity. TROTRO TRACTOR and SAYeTECH, two Ghanaian startups, winners of the first IMPULSE cohort, will support women farmers in mechanization through a powerful mobile on-demand platform that connects farmers to tractor operators and harvesting activities via smart machines. Through this program, OCP Africa creates innovative links between the startups that the company supports and vulnerable populations.

SANDIARA AGRIBUSINESS INNOVATION

OCP Africa has launched an incubation program in Sandiara, western Senegal, aimed at building the capacity of young agripreneurs and women's cooperatives active in agribusiness. The program enables women's groups to develop a model of sustainable organization that brings members together around a common economic activity (transformation of agricultural products and poultry) and promotes inclusion in markets. For agripreneurs, the incubation program plays a real role as a propellant on the path of entrepreneurship through support in the formalization of their business and the strengthening of technical skills to raise their level of productivity. In the long run, it is planned to establish contracts between agripreneurs and women's groups to strengthen the relations between the two categories of beneficiaries.

EMPOWERING AFRICAN YOUTH
(EMAY)

10 YOUNG LEADERS
will be trained
by the end of 2021

Launched in 2020, Empowering African Youth (EMAY) is a program that addresses the issue of youth unemploymentand their participation in the agricultural sector.

A young African can be an agent for positive change, a powerful channel for technology transfer, and a resource for advice in the agricultural sector with EMAY. Young leaders are trained by a higher education institute to become an expert and ambassador in the agricultural field, enabling them to secure their livelihoods.

Young Leaders are equipped with a number of tools, such as digital labs, tricycles, tablets, and other mobile tools, to bring their know-how to farmers to increase their yield and profitability.

BETTER SOIL KNOWLEDGE FOR REASONED USE OF FERTILIZERS

Fertilizer use in sub-Saharan Africa has increased timidly. The rates applied are still low, and market penetration very variable, which make fertilizers relatively expensive, mainly because of the lack of economies of scale.
The 2006 Abuja Declaration called for an increase in fertilizer use in Sub-Saharan Africa to 50 kg/ha in 2015. Many fertilizer recommendations on the continent are still general, regardless of type and nutrient content, cultivation, agroecology, or soil fertility level.
In similar contexts, integrated soil fertility management proves to be a relevant approach to maximizing the efficiency of agronomic use of applied nutrients and improving crop productivity.
The approach relies on knowledge of soil specificities (availability of nutrients in the soil, water supply, etc.) and the demand of crops for nutrients (achievable yield and required amounts of nutrients). OCP Africa places an important emphasis on integrated soil fertility management, including digital soil mapping, which it places at the center of its agronomic efforts.

CUSTOMIZED FORMULAS FOR IMPROVED RETURNS

OCP Africa is committed to developing new fertilizer formulas tailored to African soils, and crop needs contributing to the development of the agricultural sector and improving farmers' yields. In partnership with governments, universities and research institutes, NGOs, farmers' associations, and the private sector, OCP Africa has carefully undertaken this long process in several African countries, including Nigeria. OCP Africa has launched and technically supported the Digital Soil Mapping Project, in collaboration with its partners Africa Soil Information Service (AFSIS), Bayero University in Kano, the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) and Agricultural Development Programs (ADPs). This project enabled soil fertility assessment using a spatial methodology: satellite imaging processing, geostatistical modeling, and automatic machine learning combined with soil, vegetation, and weather data. This methodology has covered an area of 21 million ha and developed other fertilizer recommendations for maize.

THE UM6P, STRATEGIC PARTNER ON ALL R&D PROJECTS IN AFRICA

Sharing the goal of putting research and innovation at the service of Africa's sustainable development, OCP Africa and Mohamed VI Polytechnique University (UM6P) have joined forces and knowledge to set up various projects. This collaboration aims to address the major challenges of the African continent, including the rational management of natural resources, the development of human capital, agile public policies, and sustainable industrialization.

STRUCTURING RESEARCH
PROJECTS FOR AFRICAN
AGRICULTURE

OCP Africa believes in addressing African agriculture's current and future problems, such as food security, malnutrition, and climate change, holistically to obtain real and sustainable solutions. OCP Africa conducts innovative, ambitious and structuring research projects that revolve around five angles in close collaboration with Mohamed VI Polytechnique University and a dense network of African and international universities and research institutes.

OCP Africa is aware of the challenges of the digitalization of African agriculture and is doubly committed to facilitating access to it for as many actors as possible.

On the one hand, the subsidiary of the OCP Group develops digital solutions to bring value to the farmer directly.

OCP Africa is aware of the challenges of the digitalization of African agriculture and is doubly committed to facilitating access to it for as many actors as possible.

UDONGO, A COMPLETE AGRI-SERVICE PACKAGE

Launched in 2019, Udongo is a digital platform that promotes the agricultural value chain through various services while placing the farmer at the heart of the ecosystem. The digital solution offers farmers the opportunity to access the agricultural input market and local support through the Agri Extension Agents Network. Udongo offers educational and practical content on best agricultural practices and specific advice and recommendations for the farmer. This initiative will potentially be developed in the Group's strategic presence countries while integrating new services.

AGRO+

OCP Africa has developed a web platform for soil nutrient management and the generation of specific nutrient recommendations and other good agronomic practices. With AGRO+, OCP Africa possesses an efficient tool that provides farmers with fertilizer recommendations. The tool replaces the existing recommendations tools used by many farmers, such as Nutrient Expert and significantly increasing the quality of recommendations and the number of beneficiary farmers. AGRO+ platform will also allow benefiting from the soil data collected through OCP Africa’s different programs and initiatives. Led in partnership with UM6P and the Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS), the first trials in Nigeria’s State of Kaduna were successful.

IMPULSE, DIGITAL TRANSITION ACCELERATOR

Impulse is a unique acceleration program developed by Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in partnership with MassChallenge and supported by the OCP Group and its subsidiary OCP Africa. This 12-week program targets innovative startups in various scientific and industrial fields, such as Agritech, BioTech, Mining Technologies, and Materials Science and Nanotechnology. Impulse aims to support the rapid growth of these startups and forge fruitful and lasting links with the OCP Group, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), and their ecosystems. This initiative is part of a University initiative called Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which aims to promote and support a global community of visionary researchers and entrepreneurs committed to developing the African continent. This platform creates a crossroads between several players in an ecosystem, working together to provide startups with access to different resources to build their business: training, workshops, Fablabs, Living Labs, incubation and acceleration programs, etc.