Top Africa Fertilizer Companies 2025: Full List with Contact Information & Overview From IFDC

IFDC (International Fertilizer Development Center) is an independent non-profit public international organization established in 1974. Its core functions include researching and promoting high-efficiency fertilizer technology, building agricultural market systems, and conducting policy analysis. It is committed to improving agricultural productivity by improving soil health, achieving global food security, reducing poverty and protecting the environment.

IFDC was established in 1974 with the original intention of responding to the dual crises of global food insecurity and rising energy prices at the time. In 1977, the US government classified it as a public international organization through an executive order, giving it the same international status as the United Nations and the World Bank, and it is managed by an international board of directors composed of representatives from developed and developing countries.

1. Fertilizer technology research and development: Develop low-cost and efficient fertilizer production processes and application technologies (such as soil adaptability research, innovative fertilizer products);
2. Market system construction: Optimize the value chain of agricultural inputs (such as fertilizers) and agricultural products, help farmers obtain resources and expand markets;
3. Policy analysis: Provide data and suggestions for countries to formulate fertilizer imports, enterprise support and small farmers' technology promotion policies.

The mission is to achieve global food security, reduce hunger and poverty, and protect the ecological environment by improving soil health and increasing agricultural productivity. The goal is to work with governments, the private sector and social organizations to promote the vision of a "hunger-free world".

IFDC has been working in more than 100 developing countries, enhancing institutional capacity in 150 countries through more than 700 training programs, and helping millions of farmers increase agricultural production. For example, the promotion of high-efficiency fertilizer technology in parts of Africa and Asia has increased crop yields by more than 30%.

Through cooperation with donor organizations (such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Bank), governments, private enterprises and local agricultural organizations, technical and policy support is implemented in the form of projects, and agricultural experts from different countries are absorbed to participate in research and development and promotion.

IFDC reduces fertilizer pollution by promoting environmentally friendly fertilizers (such as slow-release fertilizers and organic-inorganic compound fertilizers), and optimizes fertilization plans by combining soil testing technology, which not only increases production but also reduces resource waste. At the same time, it supports small farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices and balance food production and ecological protection.

By developing low-carbon fertilizer production technology and promoting carbon sink agricultural models (such as improving soil carbon sequestration capacity), IFDC helps developing countries' agriculture adapt to climate change, while reducing carbon emissions from agricultural production and supporting global carbon neutrality goals.

No. IFDC is an independent public international organization that enjoys the same international status as the United Nations, but it is not a subsidiary of the United Nations. Its operating funds come from donor agencies, government cooperation projects and its own technology transfer income.

IFDC’s core mission is to support developing countries, but some fertilizer technologies (such as efficient nutrient management solutions) can also be applied to sustainable agriculture in developed countries, and its research results have global applicability.

Henk van Duijn is the President and CEO of IFDC 2025. He takes office on January 1, 2023. Henk van Duijn has more than 30 years of experience in agriculture and international development, focusing on the Europe, Africa, and Asia regions. Prior to assuming leadership at IFDC, he served as Vice President for Corporate Services and Chief Operating and Financial Officer at IFDC. Prior to assuming leadership at IFDC, van Duijn served as Program Director of 2SCALE, a pan-African business incubator led by IFDC, as CEO of Bopinc, and, among others, as a diplomat and civil service director in the Netherlands. In these roles he has led the design, startup, and implementation of national and international public-private partnerships in Africa, Asia, and Europe. He holds a master’s degree in Land and Water Management from Wageningen University & Research.