We are committed to empowering partner countries to leverage green hydrogen and ammonia for sustainable industrial development - including the fertiliser industry.

At the World Without Hunger Conference in Addis Ababa (November 5-7, 2024), our team hosted a side event on green ammonia and low-carbon fertilizers, highlighting the critical role of sustainable agriculture in ensuring food security across Africa.

Our work includes green ammonia training sessions (for example, this year, we organized training with Groupe Chimique Tunisien in Gabès) and a planned study to assess the economic viability and industrial potential of green ammonia and low-carbon fertilizers across the African continent. These efforts are part of our broader mission to support clean hydrogen application in industry.

Why Low-Carbon Fertilizer Can Be A Game-Changer:

• 60% of Africa's population relies on agriculture, so affordable fertilizers are crucial for food security.
• Fertilizer production accounts for up to 2% of global GHG emissions; green ammonia can reduce these by around 90%.
• Africa faces a 5-million-metric-ton fertilizer shortfall annually; localized green ammonia can help bridge this gap sustainably.

What We Can Achieve:

• Low-Carbon Fertilizer Production: Helping reduce agriculture's carbon footprint by advancing green ammonia from renewable sources.
• Supporting Local Industrialization: Empowering partner countries to develop their own fertilizer industries, reducing import dependency and promoting sustainable agriculture.
• Strengthening Food Security: Integrating green ammonia strengthens food systems and boosts low-carbon agriculture.

One notable partnership is our collaboration with the Daures Green Hydrogen Village in Namibia, a pilot project focused on green ammonia and low-carbon fertilizers, demonstrating local application potential and scalability.

UNIDO also envisages working closely with Moroccan fertilizer producer OCP Group to explore green ammonia and low-carbon fertilizer solutions.

With these ongoing efforts and future initiatives, UNIDO's Global Programme for Hydrogen in Industry can help pave the way for low-carbon fertilizer and more climate-friendly agriculture across Africa. 

We recently launched our Clean Hydrogen Solution page: Green Ammonia for Low Carbon Fertilizer | UNIDO