Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente, on December 20, met with Anouar Jamali, CEO of OCP AFRICA, and his delegation. They focused their discussions on partnerships, especially within the agricultural sector.

Jamali and his team are in Rwanda for the inauguration of the Rwanda Fertiliser Blending Factory, with an annual capacity to blend 100,000 tonnes of fertilisers.

Speaking to the media, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Ildephonse Musafiri, highlighted the Prime Minister's engagement with the OCP Africa team, a renowned Moroccan fertiliser-manufacturing firm boasting nearly a century of experience as one of the world's foremost exporters of phosphate fertilisers.

Musafiri underscored the discussions focused on acknowledging and commending the milestones that led to the establishment and inauguration of the blending factory. The facility aims to cater to Rwandan citizens' agricultural needs by providing fertilisers tailored to match specific soil compositions.

The discussions also revolved around ensuring the accessibility and affordability of fertilisers to support the targeted increase in productivity. Furthermore, there were plans discussed to increase investment in leveraging local resources. OCP Africa expressed its commitment to utilising local lime, previously imported, as a raw material for fertiliser production within Rwanda.

In a forward-looking approach, the firm also expressed interest in further investments, aiming to cultivate over 1,000 hectares. The upcoming field visits will identify potential plots, paving the way for the project's initiation.

"These efforts align intending to boost agricultural infrastructures, including irrigation, to raise crop cultivation. Moreover, the company emphasised the importance of agro-processing to add value to cultivated crops, ensuring durability and contributing significantly to the country's food security initiatives," he added.