Stakeholders at the just concluded high level harmonization
workshop on fertiliser policies and regulations in the Common
Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) ended in the city of Lusaka,
Zambia, with a call by member states to proactively facilitate free trade
through meaningful regional integration, reports NaijaAgroNet.
The two day meeting, NaijaAgroNet gathered attracted
policy makers in COMESA region who ended up recommending that COMESA, being the
implementing agency of the member countries facilitates a highly consultative
process at national and sub-regional levels that will lead to an agreement on a
regional policy and regulatory framework for fertiliser development.
A press statement issued by Maria Wanzala-Mlobela,
Senior Fertilizer Expert with Africa Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership
(AFAP) informed NaijaAgroNet that
the main tasks will include a systematic assessment of, and response to,
policy, legal and regulatory obstacles to fertiliser trade, including the
removal of value added tax (VAT) and other taxes on all fertiliser products in
the region.
This, she said, was aimed at creating an enabling
environment for private sector investment and commercial opportunities in the
region.
As said by her, investing in improved agricultural
production is vital to Africa’s economic transformation to alleviate poverty
and achieving food security through the development of the fertilizer industry
especially through public private partnerships (PPPs).
Ms. Maria Wanzala-Mlobela noted that revolutionising
the fertilizer supply chain system in Africa requires a multi-stakeholder, all
inclusive approach that addresses access, affordability, availability, and
investments incentives.
“COMESA will support the domestication of regional
regulations, monitor progress toward regional harmonisation and guide Member
States in the formulation and alignment of national policy and programme
initiatives such as subsidy programmes,”
said Maria Wanzala-Mlobela.
+Remmy Nweke @NaijaAgroNet @COMESA
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