Quality standards and control in the fertilizer value chain

14 - 15 Mai 2014. Accra. A two-day workshop to discuss issues relating to quality standards and control in the fertilizer value chain across Sub-Saharan African countries was organized by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), and brought together 50 participants from 13 African countries to share experiences and lessons learnt in the roll out of country-level fertilizer quality control regulations.

It would also provide opportunities for cross projects and country partnerships to enhance the development of good fertilizer quality control systems within and across countries.

Mr Bashir Jama, the Director of Soil Health Program at AGRA, said the outcome of the workshop was

expected to bring relief to farmers who over the years been subjected to sub-standard fertilizer products by some fertilizer producers, importers and sellers across the continent.

Mr Jama said participants would share lessons on issues arising from fertilizer quality control implementation strategies across the 13 AGRA focal countries and deliberate on the way forward among stakeholders. He said promoting soil health through various technologies and practices is critical to sustaining and improving agricultural productivity.

Mr Jama said through Integrated Soil Fertility Management technologies, it is imperative that fertilizer products need to be of required quality standards in order not to destroy the soil that sustains the life of plants but improves it quality to safeguard the environment.