The Ministry of State and the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food Production of Côte d’Ivoire, in collaboration with the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), organized a Fertilizer Development and Soil Health Workshop on July 31. This workshop was held in response to the recommendations made at the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit in May in Nairobi, Kenya.
This workshop was a major success, supported by the Soil Values program, the Feed the Future EnGRAIS project, and the AfricaFertilizer initiative. It marked the beginning of developing a national action plan aimed at promoting the fertilizer sector and improving soil health, aligning directly with the recommendations set forth at the AFSH Summit.
The workshop brought together numerous key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, laboratories, non-governmental organizations, embassies, banks, and interprofessional associations. Among the participants were representatives from the Africa Fertilizer Financing Mechanism (AFFM), the West African Fertilizer Association (WAFA), the Embassy of the Netherlands in Côte d’Ivoire, the Interprofessional Fund for Agricultural Research and Advice (FIRCA), and the Embassy of Canada. Participants also included members of research and academic communities and representatives of several councils, such as the Coffee-Cocoa Council, the Rubber Council, the Oil Palm Council, and the Cotton-Cashew Council, among others.
During the workshop, participants actively contributed to discussions and proposed plans to improve soil health and implement better fertilizer use.
The topics discussed at the workshop included:
- Reviewing the AFSH Summit and highlighting the key points of the Nairobi Declaration.
- Conducting a sectoral review of fertilizers and soil health in Côte d’Ivoire, including challenges and strengths.
- Defining an inclusive working methodology to develop a roadmap based on the 10-year Action Plan.
- Involving all stakeholders in contextualizing the 12 priority actions of the Economic Community of West African Sates (ECOWAS) concerning fertilizers and soil health.
The workshop raised awareness and informed stakeholders of the key areas and priority actions while gathering their feedback. The committee agreed to the implementation of four technical groups, each dedicated to a specific area, to conduct in-depth work within the fertilizer sector. In addition, participants committed to organizing a new three-day technical meeting as soon as possible to propose the detailed roadmap discussed with the commitment of all stakeholders, under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture.
During the presentation of the 10-year Action Plan, Director of Seeds, Fertilizers, and Related Products Ya Silué Naminata highlighted the strengths of the fertilizer sector, emphasizing the alignment of fiscal policies with the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) Common External Tariff, along with value-added tax exemption on fertilizers, which, as Naminata expressed, “creates a conducive environment for the implementation of the Nairobi Declaration in Côte d’Ivoire.”
These fiscal measures, consistent with the objectives of the Nairobi Declaration, provide a favorable framework for the development of the fertilizer sector.
IFDC also welcomed this collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food Production: “We truly appreciate the presence and commitment of all partners, stakeholders, and participants. It is a positive sign for future actions in fertilizer development and soil health in Côte d’Ivoire,” said Fatoumata Coulibaly, IFDC Country Director in Côte d’Ivoire.
This workshop represented a crucial step for Côte d’Ivoire toward ensuring sustainable and productive agriculture, addressing current challenges, and optimizing the use of fertilizers for better soil health. The collaboration between IFDC and the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food Production will continue to promote a more prosperous agricultural future for the country.
The Ministry of State and the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food Production welcome the feedback from this workshop based on the AFSH Summit, aiming to contextualize and domesticate the 12 priority actions of ECOWAS. The ministries have invited all stakeholders to firmly commit to the effective implementation of a roadmap and financing mechanism by the end of 2024.
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Côte d’Ivoire and WAFA highlighted the roles of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food Production and IFDC in this successful Fertilizer Development and Soil Health Workshop.
