A game changer for phosphate production.

Singapore-based Indorama Group, through its Senegalese subsidiary Industries Chimiques du Sénégal (ICS), has announced a significant US$210mn investment aimed at expanding and modernising its fertilizer production facilities in Senegal

This investment, outlined in a memorandum of understanding with Senegal’s Investment and Major Projects Promotion Agency (APIX), was unveiled at the Senegal Investment Forum and will be executed between 2025 and 2028.

The main focus of the programme is to strengthen Senegal’s role in the agricultural input sector by enhancing its phosphate and fertilizer production capabilities. Senegal has a growing agricultural market, and this investment aims to address key gaps in fertilizer supply, benefiting local farmers and boosting agricultural output across the region.

ICS plans to upgrade its facilities, particularly at the Mbao fertilizer plant, where it will increase production of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and DAP (diammonium phosphate) fertilizers from 250,000 to 400,000 tons annually. The company will also build a new Single Super Phosphate (SSP) unit, which will have an annual capacity of 350,000 tons. Additionally, ICS is set to ramp up phosphoric acid production at its Darou plant to 660,000 tons per year, supported by a new sulfuric acid plant capable of producing 700 tons per day. These improvements are expected to significantly boost ICS’s presence in Senegal’s fertilizer market.

Currently, Senegal relies heavily on imported fertilizers, bringing in an average of 126,484 tons annually, valued at $97.4 million between 2020 and 2024. Fertilizer use in the country is still limited, with application rates standing at just 8.5 kg per hectare in 2022. This is far below the sub-Saharan African average of 18.5 kg and the African Union’s target of 50 kg per hectare set at the 2006 Abuja Fertilizer Summit. NPK fertilizers dominate the local market, comprising 50% of usage, followed by urea (30%), DAP (7%), and potassium muriate (3%).

This investment in local fertilizer production aligns with the 2024 Nairobi Declaration, which urges African nations to triple their fertilizer production by 2034. By boosting domestic manufacturing, the initiative aims to reduce Senegal’s dependency on imports, make fertilizers more accessible to smallholder farmers, and enhance agricultural productivity.

Nemora does not harm beneficial soil nematodes or interfere with nodulation, making it a sustainable option. (Image credit: Indigo)

Indigo Ag has introduced Biotrinsic Nemora FP, a new biological bionematicide seed treatment designed to protect soybean crops against the damaging soybean cyst nematode (SCN).

Registered with the EPA and available for spring planting, Nemora FP uses an innovative anti-hatch technology that prevents nematode eggs from hatching, helping farmers manage SCN pressure while maintaining strong yields—without the harmful effects sometimes associated with chemical treatments.

“Nemora is designed to colonise soybean roots and shoots early and persist through the season,” said Jon Giebel, Vice President of North America Commercial Biologicals at Indigo Ag. “In trials, it delivered improved plant health metrics and compelling yield potential while offering growers a biological option that can benefit soil health in the process.”

Nemora FP contains a naturally occurring Pseudomonas oryzihabitans bacterium that colonises roots and shoots, multiplying rapidly around the roots. This microbial action disrupts the conditions necessary for SCN eggs to hatch, reducing the number of juveniles and slowing the nematode lifecycle. Unlike chemicals, Nemora does not harm beneficial soil nematodes or interfere with nodulation, making it a sustainable option.

“SCN is the nation’s most damaging soybean pathogen,” said Greg Tylka, Morrill Professor at Iowa State University. He emphasised that managing SCN requires an integrated approach including crop rotation, resistant varieties, and seed treatments like Nemora.

Growers using Nemora can expect healthier plants with longer taproots, increased root biomass, and thicker shoots. Trials showed a 68% average reduction in SCN egg hatch, alongside yield benefits comparable to conventional chemical treatments.

“Nemora is another important tool against the SCN threat and growing resistance to SCN traits like PI 88788,” added Giebel. “As a biological seed treatment, it helps manage nematode pressure by stopping egg hatch and can deliver season-long benefits.”

Enhance farming with nitrogen-fixing techniques.

BioConsortia, Inc., a pioneer in microbial solutions for sustainable agriculture, has announced a fresh US$15mn funding round led by long-standing investors, including Otter Capital and affiliated funds

Marcus Meadows-Smith, CEO of BioConsortia,“This investment, one of a series of recurring financings from our internal investors, reflects their deep confidence in BioConsortia’s science, strategy, and commercial momentum. “Their investments total US$95mn and bring BioConsortia to this exciting moment in the company’s history.”

The latest funding will accelerate the global rollout of Always-N, the company’s next-generation nitrogen-fixing seed treatment for industrial corn. It will also support the continued development of BioConsortia’s microbial research platform at its Davis, California headquarters.

Designed to reduce farmers’ dependence on synthetic fertilisers, Always-N allows for consistent crop yields while lowering environmental impact. Applied as a seed treatment, it is the only nitrogen-fixing biofertiliser that combines advanced gene editing with a shelf life of more than two years.

“Synthetic nitrogen fertilisers are essential to modern agriculture, but their overuse comes at a high environmental cost,” Meadows-Smith explained. “With Always-N, we offer a powerful and sustainable alternative—backed by cutting-edge science and engineered for real-world performance.”

Roughly 50% of synthetic nitrogen applied to crops is lost to runoff or breaks down in the soil, releasing nitrous oxide—a greenhouse gas with 300 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide. As both regulatory and market pressures increase for more climate-smart farming practices, interest in sustainable solutions like Always-N is rapidly rising.

After a successful commercial launch in New Zealand in 2024, Always-N is preparing to expand into broader markets across the Americas. BioConsortia has partnered with key global players, including The Mosaic Company, to introduce the product into row crop systems. The latest investment will be used to scale up production, build product inventory, and enhance market reach in time for the next planting season.

Always-N is the result of BioConsortia’s proprietary research platform, which includes tools like Advanced Microbial Selection (AMS), GenExpress, and GenePro. These systems help discover, refine, and optimise beneficial microbes that improve nitrogen fixation, crop resilience, and product longevity.

Beyond Always-N, the company is advancing a strong pipeline of microbial biostimulants, fungicides, insecticides, and nematicides—all designed for long shelf life, ease of use, and reliable field performance.

Since its inception in 2014, BioConsortia’s solutions have shown proven effectiveness across different crop types, climates, and soils, offering farmers practical tools for more sustainable and productive agriculture.

Unauthorised agricultural medicines can be harmful for the environment.

The regulatory agency in the Gash Barka area has held food safety workshops for people and animals, focusing on farmers and owners of organisations that provide social services in the sub-zones of Sel'a, Kerkebet, Laelai Gash, Gogni, and Mogolo

During the seminars, Meaze Neguse, an expert in animal resources regulation, cautioned that hazardous food could risk the lives of both people and animals. He stressed the importance of safety and hygiene throughout the whole food production chain, from farm to consumer, and emphasised the close relationship between food safety and environmental protection. He exhorted everyone involved in the food processing and distribution industry to work with regulatory professionals.

Hadish Gebremeskel, a representative of the plant regulatory service, spoke at length about the immediate and indirect negative consequences of misusing pesticides. He aimed at the serious implications of employing unauthorised or harmful agricultural medicines without consulting specialists, noting that these methods are bad for the environment, people, and animals. He requested farmers to switch to organic production methods and utilise only licensed pesticides.

Sub-zone officials, for their part, said that the seminars make a big difference in achieving the objective of "Ensuring Nutritious Food for All and Everywhere." They urged farmers and food processing companies to use the skills they acquired during the training in their regular activities.