Fertilizer in Mozambique

Thomas W. Crawford, Jr.

Lack of

Essential

Nutrients

Stunts

Growth

Law of the Minimum:

Least

Available

Nutrient

Limits

Yield.

Source: R. R. van der Ploeg,* W. Bo¨ hm, and M. B.

Kirkham. 1999. On the Origin of the Theory of Mineral

Nutrition of Plants and the Law of the Minimum. Soil

Science Society of America Journal 63:1055–1062.

Balanced Fertilization

Only Nitrogen and

Phosphorus?

No, All Essential

Nutrients Must be

Balanced

There are 17 Essential Plant Nutrients

"Mining" of Soils

in Africa

Removal of

Essential Plant

Nutrients

Exceeds

Replenishment

Source: J. Henao and C. Baanante. 2006. Agricultural Production and Soil Nutrient Mining in Africa --

Implications for Resource Conservation and Policy Development, IFDC, Muscle Shoals, AL

Average Annual Loss of Soil Nutrients "Mined" in Mozambique

•32.9 kg N/ha •6.4 kg P/ha •25.0 kg K/ha

Source: Follmer, E.C.R., P.M.H. Guerts and J.R. Francisco. 1998. "Assessment of Soil

Fertility Depletion in Mozambique," Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 71:159-167.

Average Annual Fertilizer Use

• Africa: ~ 8 kg/ha

• Mozambique: ~ 5 kg/ha.

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2012.

FAOSTAT Database, http://faostat.fao.org/> Last accessed in October 2012.

Fertilizer Use in 5 Provinces of Mozambique

Fertilizer Use in Mozambique

• Fertilizer adoption are very low (less than 8 percent) for cereals and horticultural crops.

• For most crops, no fertilizer is used.

Source: FAO, 2012

So Who's Using Fertilizer in Mozambique?

90 percent of the fertilizer used in Mozambique is applied to only two crops:

Sugar cane . . . and . . . . . . tobacco

Source: FAO 2012

The Double Value Chain

Source: IFDC

Fertilizer Value Chain in Mozambique

Source: IFDC

Mozambican Fertilizer Market's Larger Suppliers

• Beira – AGRIFOCUS, Lda

– OMNIA

– GREENBELT

– ETG Export Trading Co, Lda

• Chimoio – Mozambique Fertilizer Co

(MOZFERT)

• Maputo and Chimoio – AGRIGLOBAL, Lda

– Soluções Rurais

• Maputo – BIOCHEM

Source: AFAP

Soil Testing & Fertilizer Recommendations in Mozambique

• Greenbelt Fertilizantes Lda: sampling and chemical analysis of 1000 soil samples

• Instituto Superior Politecnico de Manica (ISPM): fertilizer recommendations, according to soil type and crop

Two main goals

–Increase the number of

fertilizer users by 15

percent.

–At least double total

fertilizer use.

Volunteer Program in Mozambique

Fertilizer for Smallholder Mozambicans

• Laboratories (testing & recommendations)

• Technical assistance (extension & sales reps)

• Delivery of appropriate fertilizers by the private sector (wholesale and retail)

Thanks!

For more information . . .