Role of the World Bank in Helping to Meet the Fertiliser Requirements of Developing Countries

The World Bank in collaboration with other international agencies is providing both financial and technical assistance to developing countries to help them meet their fertilizer requirements. The Bank has made considerable investments in fertilizer production projects in the last few years; for example, $434 million for eight projects in 1975 alone, and it is estimated that about 15% of the additional fertilizer capacity expected to come on stream in developing countries between 1974-1980 will stem from Bank-financed projects. ‘

The Bank, through its participation in the UNIDO/FAO/World Bank Fertilizer Working Group is helping to provide an authoritative fertilizer information system which will provide a basis for future investment and help prevent cyclical imbalances. Recent work of this Group shows there should be an adequate supply of fertilizer through 1981.

The changing needs of developing countries require a more comprehensive approach towards the production, distribution and use of fertilizers, and the paper outlines future Bank policy to meet this requirement. As an example of this approach, special reference is made to work being done of fertilizer marketing and distribution systems and also on fertilizer regional planning and developments.