The agricultural industry provides a strong foundation for growth in rural societies and the general development of the African continent, says Terje Knutsen, executive vice president of crop nutrition at Yara International.

Knutsen presided over the opening of a liquid fertiliser plant in the Western Cape, South Africa. Farmers within a 300km radius will be able to use the fertiliser produced at the plant on dryland cereals, vegetables, fruit and grapes.

The plant is an K22 million investment, which follows after similar investment by Yara in Zambia, Ethiopia and Ghana.

Yara acquired Greenbelt Fertilisers, a leading fertiliser distributor in Zambia, in December 2015.

“We are trying to step up our activity in Africa and contribute to improving the productivity of African agriculture,” says Knutsen.

According to Knutsen, the company is taking a regional focus to their African expansion, with a focus on building scale across the continent. They also have a presence in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Cameroon.