CM/Res.840 (XXXVI)
RESOLUTION ON FERTILIZER EFFICIENCY PRODUCTION AND RESEARCH IN AFRICA (AFRECA)
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, meeting in its Thirty-sixth Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 23 February to 1 March, 1981,
Recalling Resolution CM/Res.569 (XXIX) of the Twenty-ninth Ordinary Session in Libreville, Gabon, on the Scientific, Technological Research and Development Activities of the Executive Secretariat of OAU/STRC,
Noting the information and studies contained in Document CM/1101 (XXXVI) on Fertilizer Efficiency, Production and Research in Africa,
Noting further the extensive work of FAC in promoting fertilizer use in many OAU Member States and in studies of related problems during the past fifteen years,
Considering the crucial importance of fertilizers in increasing food and agricultural production:
WELCOMES the forthcoming meeting of the Inter-African Committee on Fertilizer to be convened in April/May 1981, to advise the development of different fertilizers in Africa and to consider the establishment of an African Regional Centre for Fertilizers;
RECOMMENDS that maximum stress should be laid on agricultural extension, the development and testing of fertilizers based on raw materials available in Africa and the technological and economic problems of their industrialization, and that less emphasis be laid on determination of crop responses to fertilizers which are essentially location specific.
REQUESTS Member States to take the necessary protective measures to ensure the protection of human beings and environment against the noxious side effects of chemical fertilizers and for economic reasons emphasis be made on the use of biological and other natural fertilizers as much as possible;
RECOMMENDS that more training courses or workshops for fabrication, granulation, marketing and use of fertilizers should be organized in Africa in co- operation with the International Fertilizer Development Centre, F AO, UNIDO and African Universities;
REQUESTS the OAU Secretary-General to establish close co-operation between the OAU, FAO and UNIDO in all aspects of fertilizer development and to ensure co-ordination of the activities in this field;
RECOMMENDS the OAU Secretariat with the help of UNIDO and FAO, to hold a seminar on the technology of Production and use of bio -fertilizers and to take note of the invitation of the Egyptian Government to host this seminar in Cairo.