Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda has bemoaned the relatively low usage of fertilizer in the sub-Saharan region.
Speaking when he opened the first annual meeting of the East and Southern Africa Fertiliser Trade Platform, Mr. Lubinda said the low utilization of fertilizer by small holder farmers has been a major challenge that has negatively affected crop production.
He said fertiliser usage in sub-Saharan Africa is the lowest in the world with an average of eight to ten kilogrammes per hectare compared to over 200 kilogrammes per hectare in other parts of the world.
Mr. Lubinda said the disparity is also evident between smallholder and large scale farmers, citing Zambia where he said the average usage of fertilizer by small scale farmers for 2014-2015 farming season stood at 132 kg per hectare compared to 420 kg per hectare for commercial farmers.
He attributed the low usage of fertiliser to a number of factors among them high cost of fertilizer, limited availability of fertiliser especially in rural areas, lack of knowledge on correct usage of fertilizer, lack of efficient extension services and distribution of one type of fertiliser to regions with different type of soil.
The Minister of Agriculture has since commended the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) for coming up with initiatives meant to find solutions to challenges faced by small scale farmers.
He said there was need for private sector participation if the challenges facing smallholder farmers relating to fertilizer usage are to be overcome.
And speaking at the same occasion, COMESA Secretary General Sindiso Ngwenya called for the correct usage of fertilizer by categorizing fertilizer to a specific soil type.
Dr. Ngwenya said the COMESA region has different climatic conditions which require fertilisers to be categorised according to regions.
He said there was need for governments to come up with policies that attract the involvement of the private sector in the local production of fertiliser.
Dr. Ngwenya further said some countries in the COMESA region have deposits of phosphate which he said can be exploited through the private-public partnerships.
How can farmers increase fertilizer usage when its cost is high? The thinking is backward…
“eight to ten kilogrammes per hectare”, sounds funny but true
Sounds intersting especially when viewed against a seemingly progressive campaign for conservation farming. Once more the minister seem to be challenging my decision on which best way to go between organic and inorganic applications.
Such a shame that the profit-thirsty multinational corporations are fooling our politicians on fertilizer. Fertilizers are a total failure in Africa.