ROME – The world needs concerted efforts to urgently address the global fertilizer market crunch in which farmers, especially smallholder farmers from the developing world, are priced out of production due to the high cost of inputs. We cannot allow global fertilizer accessibility problems to become a global food shortage. Reconnecting fertilizer markets is critical.

As part of the efforts by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to address global food insecurity through the full implementation of the two agreements signed on 22 July in Istanbul to ensure the unimpeded access to food and fertilizers from Ukraine and the Russian Federation, the World Food Programme (WFP) is facilitating the donation of 260,000 MT of fertilizer by the Russian fertilizer company Uralchem-Uralkali to countries in most need in Africa. WFP is grateful for the contributions and support from Uralchem-Uralkali.

This fertilizer is a critical agriculture input especially for farmers on the African continent where the close of the planting season is fast approaching. A lack of fertilizer during this planting season will have a detrimental effect on future yields, potentially worsening already dire hunger statistics on the continent.

At the request of the UN, the first shipment of 20,000 MT of NPK will be loaded onto a WFP-chartered vessel next week and will sail from the Netherlands the week of 21 November. The vessel will sail via Mozambique, with Malawi as the final destination. WFP thanks the Governments of Malawi and Mozambique, and the Government of the Netherlands, in close coordination with the European Union, for their willingness to enable this critical humanitarian effort for global food security.

WFP also thanks the Government of France for initiating the ‘Save Crops Operation’, which was launched on the margins of the 77th United Nations General Assembly in September, allowing several countries, international organizations, and the private sector, to effectively and quickly join efforts. The political support and financial commitment from the Government of France will enable the transportation of several shipments of fertilizer to West Africa in the coming weeks on WFP chartered vessels.

Source: World Food Programme