IFDC Partners With Kenyan Government to Accelerate Agriculture
13 June 2014 
Dr. Amit Roy, IFDC president and CEO
The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and the Kenyan government on Friday signed an accreditation agreement formalizing their shared commitment to sustainable agricultural development in the country. The agreement establishes Kenya as a “host” country to IFDC. IFDC said its priorities are those of Kenya – ensuring that fertilizer, training and agricultural technologies reach the farmers that need them the most.
“Agriculture is the engine that drives Kenya’s economy,” said Dr. Amit Roy, IFDC president and CEO. “Our valued partnership with the Kenyan government will keep that locomotive roaring.”
IFDC’s collaboration with the Kenya Ministry of Agriculture began in the early 1990s with joint projects to privatize fertilizer markets and training programs on agro-input market development. The portfolio soon expanded to address soil and crop management, output markets and agribusiness development. In 2009, Nairobi became IFDC’s regional headquarters for its East and Southern Africa Division.
Roy said that “we must promote the use of fertilizers, improved seeds and other inputs” to drive continued agricultural development. For example, rice farmers in 17 African countries, including Kenya, are using fertilizer deep placement technology to increase yields and incomes by 20% while using 30% less fertilizer. IFDC is also working with the Ministry of Agriculture to transition from “blanket” fertilizer recommendations to site-specific fertilizer blends that address soil nutrient deficiencies in a particular area.
Public-private partnerships are accelerating agro-input market development and linking farmers to viable food markets. Nearly 60 private companies and over 9,000 farmers in Kenya are involved in IFDC’s 2SCALE project. “We act as a bridge between buyers and sellers, enabling farmers to move from subsistence to market-oriented agriculture,” Roy added.
Farmers’ primary points of contact for fertilizers and technical farming advice are agro-dealers. Roy said IFDC’s projects in Kenya have trained nearly 500 agro-dealers. “More than 4,000 agro-dealers in Kenya, and thousands more across the region, are using our AMITSA market information system to receive and share data on agro-inputs. We’re also mapping the information needs of 23 farmer groups – over 9,000 farmers – across the country. This is the first step toward a comprehensive database that will help connect farmers with agribusiness opportunities,” he said.
In addition to working with the Ministry and its agencies, IFDC is partnering with farmer groups, agri-entrepreneurs, non-governmental organizations, universities, seed and fertilizer companies, food processors, banks and micro-finance providers.
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