Russian corporation assists African nation in fighting hunger
Over 23,000 metric tons of bulk potash and NPKS fertilizer intended for Zimbabwe have been fully loaded onto a vessel in the ports of Riga, Latvia, and Ghent, Belgium; the shipment is intended for humanitarian purposes, the press service of Uralchem Group said on Monday.
Uralchem, one of the largest fertilizer producers in Russia and the world, stated that the ship has begun its trip to the port of Beira in Mozambique. After that, the fertilizers will be transported via land to Zimbabwe.
“As one of the key suppliers of mineral fertilizers to international markets including Africa, and a company with a proud mission to create a world without hunger, we see our exceptional role in doing whatever we can to ensure food security in those parts of the world where people may face food shortages. We’ll be looking forward to seeing Zimbabwean farmers getting our fertilizer, using it properly and eventually reaping a fruitful harvest,” Uralchem CEO Dmitry Konyaev announced.
This is the fourth free fertilizer shipment Uralchem Group has sent to Africa. The company has donated more than 100,000 tons of fertilizer to Africa; over 77,000 tons have been shipped to Malawi, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.
The objective of the initiative is to address the global food crisis and prevent crop failures. According to the company’s press release, Uralchem Group has made a commitment to donating about 300,000 metric tons of mineral fertilizers to developing nations. As stated on the company’s website, the company is responding to the UN’s second sustainable development goal: “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.”
Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev has announced that six African countries which have been hit by food insecurity (Zimbabwe, Eritrea, Somalia, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Central African Republic) will receive up to 200,000 metric tons of grain by the end of the year. Somalia was the first to receive a shipment, on November 30.
