OCP Africa, a subsidiary of the OCP group specialized in fertilizers, is expanding its activities into agro-industry in Africa. The goal is to create a new Business Unit dedicated to agribusiness, distinct from fertilizer marketing.
### Diversification and Development
After consolidating its position in the fertilizer market, OCP Africa aims to strengthen the agri-food sector in Africa by addressing the growing market needs. Currently, Africa imports about 35 billion dollars worth of food products annually, a figure that could reach 110 billion dollars by 2025. The African agricultural market is expected to experience significant growth, with estimated spending of 2 trillion dollars by 2030.
### Business Unit and Strategies
The new entity will oversee the production, processing, and marketing of agricultural products. It will focus on three main areas:
1. **Food crops**: Improve productivity and diversify essential crops.
2. **Commercial agriculture**: Create value for OCP Africa while benefiting local farmers.
3. **Promotion of lost crops**: Revitalize neglected crops such as fonio and teff.
### Strategic Projects
OCP Africa has already launched significant projects, notably in rice and maize cultivation in Côte d’Ivoire, and plans other initiatives for 2024. Among them, a project in Rwanda aims to develop 1,000 hectares for rice cultivation using modern irrigation techniques and supporting small local producers. In Côte d’Ivoire, activities will be expanded to 500 hectares for each model farm and the restoration of a rice mill in Yamoussoukro.
### Environment and Sustainability
The new strategy includes sustainable agricultural practices such as cover cropping and agroforestry. OCP Africa will also invest in research and development to adapt strategies to the specific agro-ecological conditions of each region and develop customized fertilizers.
With these initiatives, OCP Africa hopes not only to improve agricultural productivity in Africa but also to contribute to environmental sustainability and create value for local farmers, while diversifying its activities to become a major player in agro-industry on the continent.