This article is sponsored by OCP
This new stage in their fruitful collaboration, which extends over a period of fifteen years, is the result of a shared desire to develop innovative solutions to meet the specific needs of Pakistani farmers and to contribute sustainably to improving productivity in the agricultural sector.
The MoU will focus on identifying the specific agronomic needs of Pakistani soils, evaluating and developing customised fertilisers to meet them, and optimising the resources used in the fertilisation process. The project will also focus on the development of a range of services for farmers aimed at increasing the profitability of the agricultural sector and making farmers aware of the principles of balanced fertilisation, the use of adapted fertilisers and allowing optimal use of nutrients, thus improving soil health.
The agreement also provides for the establishment of an industrial cooperation framework that will take advantage of the infrastructures and industrial expertise of each of the two groups.
UM6P will mobilise its agronomic and scientific expertise, its research and innovation infrastructures as well as its “Al Moutmir” agricultural development model, with a view to contributing to the adoption by Pakistani farmers of balanced agricultural practices based on research, innovation and new technologies.
This memorandum was signed in presence of representatives from the OCP Group, Fauji Group and the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University.
On this occasion, Mr. Soufyane El Kassi, CEO of OCP Nutricrops, a subsidiary dedicated to soil and plant fertilisation solutions, said “This closer alliance with the Fauji Group will enable us to accelerate our collaboration to develop new solutions and expand the service offering. It will also enable us to explore and implement innovative business models for further value creation in the agricultural sector.”
The partnership between OCP and Fauji Group was consolidated through the creation in 2004 of the Pakistan Maroc Phosphore (PMP) joint-venture, owned equally by the two groups. This nearly 20-year collaboration has been a success for both partners in terms of optimising production costs and securing the supply of phosphoric acid, while providing safe access to raw materials.
During the signing ceremony of the MoU, Mr. Waqar Ahmed Malik, Managing Director and CEO of Fauji Group emphasised the strategic relationship between Fauji Group and OCP group. He added that this relationship has embarked Fauji Group on a path to becoming a prominent player and the only local producer of DAP in Pakistan. He further added that this MoU and its implementation will further enhance the output of crop and farmers income.
Furthermore, Mr. Nawfel Roudies, Head of Al Moutmir Business Unit within Mohamed VI Polytechnic University also underlined “UM6P is proud to contribute to the dynamics of transformation of Pakistani agriculture. We are mobilised alongside our partners to successfully develop a resilient, innovative and sustainable agriculture.”
This new memorandum of understanding thus reinforces OCP Group’s commitment to a stable and inclusive global food security, in line with its new green investment strategy, dedicated to increasing its production capacity for fertilizers, to the production of renewable energies, and launched at the end of 2022.