PhosAgro expands cooperation with Food and Agriculture Organization

PhosAgro and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are expanding their cooperation in the field of soil protection on the planet. The agreement was reached following a meeting between PhosAgro CEO Andrey Guryev and FAO CEO Qu Dongyu held by the Organization.

The parties agreed to extend the cooperation agreement within the framework of a joint project for the development of sustainable agriculture until 2023. As of today, FAO and PhosAgro have established a global network of 760 soil laboratories throughout 150 countries. The parties are also implementing the Soil Doctors project, informing farmers about the efficient and eco-friendly use of land and promoting the implementation of best practices of the application of mineral fertilizers.

At the new stage of cooperation, FAO and PhosAgro intend to focus on solving the problem of soil contamination, including heavy metals. PhosAgro will provide additional investments in the project of $1.2 million over the next 2 years. Thus, PhosAgro’s total contribution to the project will amount to $2.4 million by 2023.

Moreover, starting next year, PhosAgro will join the FAO Recsoil initiative aimed at managing organic carbon in soils, which is essential to fight climate change.

According to the statement of Qu Dongyu, soil health is the basis for providing all humanity with food and ecosystem services. Since sustainable soil management meets the needs of people for safe and nutritious food, it is a key component of FAO’s work to transform agri-food chains. Qu Dongyu stressed that the partnership with PhosAgro will help to scale the work of the Organization to restore soil health at all levels.

“Our cooperation with FAO, which has become the benchmark for the fight against soil degradation on the planet, will be expanded by the implementation of solutions to eliminate hot spots of soil contamination with heavy metals. Since PhosAgro produces eco-efficient fertilizers, which do not contain concentrations of cadmium and other toxic substances hazardous to human health and soil, the company can be a part of the solution to the problem of soil pollution, ensuring food security in Russia and 102 other countries,” said Andrey Guryev.