The African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) have entered into an Agribusiness Partnership Contract  (APC) with 18th April company, a fertilizer distributor/wholesaler, based in the upper region of Ghana.

18th April company supplies more than 3 000 metric tons of fertilizer approached AFAP for assistance in expanding their warehouse storage capacity to store more fertilizer due to increases in demand in their area.

“With an increasing demand for fertilizer in the region, we found that our storage capacity is inadequate to meet the current needs of the farmers,” Osman Husseini Sulle, Managing Director of 18th April Company said.

“Farmers are realising the importance and benefit of fertilizer, no longer are farmers believing the myths of fertilizer damaging their land and their crops,” Sulle added.

He added that the new crop of farmers are realising that using fertilizer during the farming seasons means they can double their their yields.

The AFAP Agribusiness Partnership Contract (APC) is a funding mechanism that acts as a bridge between agro input suppliers and smallholder farmers. Through the APC, AFAP assists agribusinesses to improve access and availability of fertilizer usage.

Francis Mensah, AFAP’s Ghana country Manager said: “After engaging with the 18th April Company management, we realised that they are committed to not only providing reasonably priced fertilizer, but to also work closely with smallholder famers and agro-dealers/retailers in the upper region to promote and encourage the use of correct fertilizers.”

18th April company is given support to increase their fertilizer storage capacity from a 1000 metric ton fertilizer warehouse to a storage capacity of 5000 metric tons by building an additional storage with 4,000 metric tons capacity..

The company has also pledged to establish demonstration plots where farmers will be exposed to proper and efficient use of fertilizer that will reduce wastage and assist in enhancing farmer productivity.

“These demonstration plots will be used to help practically demonstrate the effectiveness of new fertilizer formulations. Farmer groups will be given starter packs (in small quantities) of fertilizers, certified seeds and crop protection products to encourage them to set up their own demonstration plots,” Sulle said.