The Moroccan Mission to the United Nations in New York and the OCP Group jointly organized a high-level event on food security in Africa as part of the High-Level Political Forum of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on sustainable development, which is being held in the American metropolis from July 8 to 17.
"SDGs in Action: Shaping the Africa We Want. Effective Partnerships to Eradicate Poverty, Build Food Sovereignty, and Mitigate Climate Change” is the central theme of the high-level meeting on food security in Africa, initiated jointly by the Moroccan Mission to the United Nations in New York and the OCP Group. Held in New York on the sidelines of ECOSOC, this event was co-sponsored with the Permanent Missions of Rwanda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Kenya.
Opened by introductory remarks from UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, and the Moroccan Ambassador to the UN, Omar Hilale, along with a presentation by the Chairman and CEO of the OCP Group, Mostafa Terrab, the exchanges that took place on this occasion allowed Africa's voice to be heard by the international community.
In his opening statement, Omar Hilale emphasized that the Kingdom’s commitment to eliminating hunger and promoting sustainable agriculture stems from a collective awareness of the challenge posed by food security globally and particularly in Africa, noting that this is why His Majesty the King has placed food security at the heart of His strategic priorities for Africa.
The Moroccan Permanent Representative to the UN stressed that Morocco has always invested in agriculture, particularly through South-South cooperation in Africa, which has more than half of the world's uncultivated arable land, stating that the Kingdom has undertaken to share its experience and best practices with its brotherly African countries.
This action is supported by the recommendations of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, which calls for strengthening partnerships and encouraging public and private investments to unlock the full potential of sustainable agriculture, the ambassador continued.
He pointed out that it is in this context that the OCP Group’s multidimensional strategy on the African continent is set, noting that through this presence, the Moroccan Group is today the world's leading supplier of phosphate products in all its forms, but also the main African partner and provider of expertise in agriculture.
For his part, Mostafa Terrab emphasized that Africa is experiencing a true "green revolution.” The Chairman and CEO of the OCP Group expressed his conviction that the accelerator of this "revolution” will be the continent's ability to produce its own fertilizers by relying on its abundant natural resources.
Terrab noted to his audience that arable land per capita in the world is decreasing, reminding that 60% of these uncultivated arable lands on the planet are located in Africa. He also advocated for changing the perception of Africa's role in food security.
"Africa will have to play a positive global role in terms of food security,” he affirmed, explaining that this security depends on the nutrition of the soil and plants. "Without fertilizers, we can only produce half of the food production that we produce today,” he warned.
Wondering why Africa does not use enough fertilizers, Mostafa Terrab noted that the continent is the largest exporter of natural resources essential for fertilizer production, while Africa is also a "net importer” of finished fertilizers.
"As a result, the African farmer has had the fundamental problem of having fertilizers that sometimes cost two to three times the price of fertilizers elsewhere, even if these fertilizers were made from the continent’s own natural resources,” he observed.
The CEO of the OCP Group indicated that this situation changed when the OCP Group deployed its multidimensional strategy and decided to produce fertilizers in Africa, allocating a significant amount of these fertilizers to the continent’s countries. Now, 65% of the fertilizers used in Africa are made on the continent, he celebrated.
Terrab also highlighted the evolution of the Moroccan Group since it undertook massive investments in fertilizer production, noting that the OCP Group achieves more than 30% of the global market share in fertilizer production.
"This performance has allowed the Group to rise to the top spot in terms of fertilizer production,” he specified, noting that the OCP Group now has a capacity of 15 million tons and has gained a significant share of the finished fertilizer market worldwide.
For Africa to ensure its food security, it is important, according to Mostafa Terrab, that it produces its own fertilizers, uses the appropriate fertilizers to boost productivity, contributes to the achievement of SDG 13 on climate action, and makes soil health and nutrition affordable for smallholder farmers.
Speaking on the occasion, the UN Deputy Secretary-General praised the investments made by Morocco to develop the agricultural sector, through the promotion of local production and the establishment of policy frameworks that catalyze the development of sustainable and resilient food systems.
This dynamic has created jobs and strengthened the role of women in Moroccan society, she noted, stating that sustainable food systems "concern not only those who consume but also those who manage and harvest, from production to the table.”
The UN official also noted that Africa is a region with enormous potential, representing 60% of the world’s arable land, believing that it is possible to overcome food insecurity and develop sustainable agricultural practices.
She emphasized the importance of leveraging partnerships to realize the continent’s vision as outlined in Africa’s Agenda 2063, calling for the promise to be fulfilled not only for the SDGs and their acceleration but for the Africa desired by Africans.
For his part, the Rwandan Permanent Representative to the UN, Ernest Rwamucyo, praised the partnership between his country and Morocco in the agricultural sector through the OCP Group.
He emphasized that cooperation with the Kingdom and the OCP Group has been "instrumental” in the process of transforming the agricultural sector in Rwanda, adding that effective partnerships remain important to accelerate efforts to achieve the SDGs.
For his part, the Nigerian Permanent Representative to the UN, Syndoph Endoni, praised the cooperation between his country and the OCP Group, which aims to ensure food security in sub-Saharan Africa, including through the establishment of three fertilizer blending plants in Nigeria.
These initiatives of the Moroccan Group are likely to significantly increase the supply of fertilizers to Nigeria and neighboring countries, he stressed.
He also recalled the signing between Morocco and Nigeria of four memorandums of understanding for the construction of a 7,000 km gas pipeline, which is expected to benefit several countries on the continent, noting that this project will stimulate energy production in the region and beyond.
The Ethiopian Permanent Representative to the UN, Tesfaye Yilma Sabo, concurred, highlighting the OCP Group’s contribution to improving agricultural productivity in Africa.
The representative of the Kenyan Permanent Mission to the UN, for her part, appreciated the work done by the OCP Group in her country, notably through the promotion of new nutrient management practices, capacity building for farmers with good agronomic and soil health practices, and climate-smart agriculture.
For his part, the representative of Côte d’Ivoire stressed the importance of robust partnerships like those linking the OCP Group to African countries, believing that through such initiatives, Africa would be able to ensure its food sovereignty and move towards a more sustainable and inclusive future.
Until July 17, the High-Level Forum on Sustainable Development will review progress towards Goal 1 on poverty eradication, Goal 2 on zero hunger, Goal 13 on climate action, Goal 16 on peaceful and inclusive societies, and Goal 17 on strengthening the means of implementation.