The webinar session also witnessed the launch of an online Fertiliser Cost Simulator tool to address Regional Fertiliser Supply chain challenges and allow for easy access to accurate and timely industry information.

This was contained in a joint press statement issued by IFDC and USAID and copied the Ghanaian Times on Tuesday.

The simulator was developed based on findings from the Fertiliser Cost Build-Up study conducted along selected ports and trade corridors that supply most fertilisers to smallholder farmers in West Africa.

It is a free cost management tool for sourcing, importing, blending, and trading fertilisers in West Africa and also evaluates costs of fertilisers imported to the region, whether straight, compound, or blended.

The West Africa Fertiliser Cost Build-Up initiative was funded by the USAID through the Feed the Future Enhancing Growth through Regional Agricultural Input Systems (EnGRAIS) Project for West Africa, implemented by the IFDC.

According to the statement, the webinar which would be targeting more than 200 participants would convene strategic stakeholders involved in the fertiliser supply chain, from production, to importation, to blending operations, and distribution down to the last mile.

Moreover, the statement indicated that “the cost build-up study, upon which the cost simulator was based, reveals the main bottlenecks and issues causing high prices at farm gates and delayed delivery.”

“It also provides comparisons of the various corridors that can help fertiliser suppliers to make better decisions in optimising logistical options, reducing costs, and improving delivery time,” the statement added.

Individuals interested in using the Fertiliser Cost Simulator, the statement said, would be provided with in-depth online technical training programmes and one-on-one assistance.

The provision of this assistance, the statement indicated, would help stakeholders address the fertiliser logistics cost challenges associated with supply chain activities and promote sustainable increases in agricultural productivity for improved food security in West Africa.

The statement adds that a series of Fertiliser Port Factsheets and Process Maps would be unveiled with participants getting to tour the main functionalities of the online Fertiliser Cost Simulator.

The USAID is an independent agency that provides economic, development, and humanitarian assistance worldwide in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States.

While the IFDC is an independent non-profit organisation that combines innovative research, market systems development, and strategic partnerships to identify and scale sustainable soil solutions for improved food security and livelihoods around the world.