Story by Owen Mandovha
ZIMBABWE is intensifying efforts to localise fertiliser production, as industry stakeholders present strategies to Parliament aimed at addressing persistent supply shortages and strengthening national food security.
At the centre of the fertiliser value chain is the Mutapa Investment Fund, which holds key assets through the Industrial Development Corporation, including Zimphos, Dorowa Minerals and a stake in ammonium producer Sable Chemicals. Chief Executive Officer, Dr John Mangudya, said plans are underway to recapitalise and revive these entities to boost production.
“We have plans to capitalise the entities so that they become operational again. The challenge was that many of these assets were not being utilised sufficiently to provide returns, so we have a roadmap to revive these companies, and some of them by mid-year we will be producing enough,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Professor Obert Jiri, underscored the urgency of local production in the face of global disruptions.
“We are prone to some external factors, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a price increase of several key commodities for the production of fertiliser, hence the need to localise production,” he said.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Dr Thomas Ushe Utete highlighted the need to strengthen the fertiliser value chain.
“As an industry, we need to strengthen the value chains in the fertiliser industry by looking at the gaps that are affecting maximum production,” he noted.
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Honourable Clemence Chiduwa, stressed the importance of restoring value chains to safeguard food security.
Stakeholders also revealed that committees have been established to mobilise fertiliser supplies ahead of the winter wheat season, while leveraging local resources such as phosphates and urea to ensure sustainable production.
The localisation drive is expected to reduce reliance on imports, cushion the agricultural sector from global shocks and support Zimbabwe’s broader food security objectives.
