While fertilizer consumption in West Africa has significantly increased over the past 2 years, the sector remains hugely dominated by and dependent on governments implementing subsidy and distribution programs.
The West African Fertilizer Association (WAFA) was born in 2016 of the will of the private players of the fertilizer sector in the region to join forces to meet the challenges in the sector with the support of the USAID West Africa Fertilizer program (WAFP). Open to all ECOWAS member states, members of WAFA share common opportunities and difficulties and think together to find sustainable solutions by combining their means and their energies in order to promote sustainable agriculture and an environment favorable to the farmers.
Today, WAFA represents 32 members (from 9 countries), who are operating in all ECOWAS countries. Through the assistance of the Feed the Future Enhancing Growth through Regional Agriculture Input Systems (EnGRAIS) Project for West Africa, WAFA is increasing its awareness and goodwill by actors in the fertilizer sector and has positioned itself as the voice of the fertilizer industry in West Africa.
Part of its strategy is made up of active participation in major fertilizer events across the continent, besides the West Africa Fertilizer Forum that WAFA organizes annually in partnership with Argus, a global fertilizer consulting firm based in Houston, Texas, and London, UK.
Among these is the 2018 Argus Value Added Fertilizer (AVF) Conference held in Cape Town Hotel in South Africa on September 18-20, 2018. Some 120 delegates participated in this first AVF Conference ever organized in Africa. WAFA got great exposure thanks to its strategically located exhibition booth, and interaction with suppliers and experts in the fastest-growing segment of the fertilizer market globally.
The 5th edition of the CRU Africa Fertilizer Agribusiness conference was another event helpful to the cause of WAFA. Over 200 delegates, mainly executives, sales and marketing managers from the fertilizer industry operating in Sub-Saharan Africa gathered in Cape Town, representing global and African fertilizer producers and traders, blending equipment and soil and product testing suppliers, and logistic and finance experts and service providers. The EnGRAIS project was able to get an exhibition booth set up for WAFA, which was one of the most visited, active and friendly.
Promoting WAFA’s brand and network with key industry players is a huge pay-off. WAFA is now highly exposed, attracting more members, triggering new investments and business opportunities that will benefit the entire West African community.
Through the assistance of the Feed the Future Enhancing Growth through Regional Agriculture Input Systems (EnGRAIS) Project for West Africa, WAFA is increasing its awareness and goodwill by actors in the fertilizer sector and has positioned itself as the voice of the fertilizer industry in West Africa. EnGRAIS is one of the many assistance programs supported by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
