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Paper Number: 64

Igneous phosphate resources of East and South East Africa

Ghebre, W.M.¹

¹Research &Development Directorate,Ministry of Mines, P.O.Box 486, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,

Email:wmghebre@gmail.com

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The most abundant phosphate deposits in East and Southeast Africa region are related to igneous rocks. These deposits can be broadly divided into four categories. Carbonatite-related deposits are the most important category but apatite may also be found in association with basic intrusions, syenitic intrusions, and pegmatite bodies.

Local Phosphate Resources for Sustainable Development is a crucial issue which aims to support the context for poverty reduction and elimination. In order to enable poverty alleviation, it should be focused on the promotion of local use rather than the export of phosphate.

Africa imports several million tones of fertilizers annually. Delineation and definition of the phosphate rock will facilitate the need of potential investors towards mining and development of fertilizer raw materials. The findings will ultimately benefit the investors, the stakeholders, the government and the population at large.

Soil degradation and infertility are major constraints to the sustainability of agricultural systems in many developing countries, particularly those located in the tropical humid lowlands of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) deficiencies are recognized as major constraints to sustainable agricultural productivity. Soil degradation and infertility are major constraints to the sustainability of agricultural systems in many developing countries, particularly those located in the tropical humid lowlands of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) deficiencies are recognized as major constraints to sustainable agricultural productivity.

Therefore, the study will contribute as a raw material for phosphate fertilizer, by increasing agricultural yields, will definitely plays major role in poverty alleviation applying sustainable utilization of indigenous resources.

References:

[1] DFID [ 2002] BGS Report CR/02/121/N Local phosphate resources for sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa:153p

[2] Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [2012] Current world fertilizer trends and outlook to 2016 Rome:11-14

[3] Van Straaten, P. [2002 ] Rocks for crops: Agro- minerals of sub-Saharan Africa. ICRAF Nairobi Kenya: 338 pp