OCP launches major land restoration project in Brazil to support sustainable farming

MOROCCO – OCP Group, Morocco’s fertilizer giant, has rolled out a long-term land restoration project in Brazil’s Araguaia Valley, aiming to help cattle farmers improve soil health while reducing emissions.

In Brazil, OCP has partnered with Ambipar, Liga do Araguaia, and the Agro-Environmental Institute of the Araguaia Valley (IAVA) to regenerate up to 100,000 hectares of degraded pastureland in Central-West Brazil.

The project will run for 50 years under OCP Brasil, a subsidiary of OCP Nutricrops, and will support over 60 cattle farms in the Araguaia Valley. It also aims to improve soil health and issue high-quality carbon credits.

Named the ALM Green Carbon of Araguaia, the initiative will start by restoring 80,000 hectares in its first three years, with carbon credit issuance expected between the third and fifth year.

OCP says the project is designed to help farmers use better land management techniques while building long-term climate resilience.

Nafoual Mahdar, Senior Vice President of Decarbonization and Climate Action at the OCP Group, said the project reflects the company’s broader environmental goals.

“The project will see the restoration of up to 100,000 hectares of degraded pasturelands in Brazil, a country of strategic importance for global food security,” he said.

Mahdar also highlighted the importance of this collaboration. “This cooperation reinforces OCP’s commitment to boosting food security,” he added.

The project includes a campaign to help local communities better understand sustainable farming practices, focusing on soil health and environmental care.

Soraya Pires, Global Head of Carbon Solutions at Ambipar, described the initiative as a key moment for climate and economic progress.

“We are structuring a traceable production chain, which promotes food security, values local assets, and generates climate, social, and economic benefits,” she said.

Marcos Stelzer, CEO of OCP Brasil, pointed to the use of science and technology in land restoration, calling the project a natural progression of OCP’s earlier work in carbon farming in Brazil. “We believe in innovation as a driver of more efficient, nature-positive agriculture,” Stelzer stated.

Braz Peres Neto, President of Liga do Araguaia, echoed this view. He said the project helps push for new production practices and supports business models that meet current environmental demands.

Leonardo de Oliveira Gomes, President of IAVA, said the restoration effort will bring lasting benefits to the valley. “It will ensure management practices that will contribute greatly to the sustainable development of the valley,” he noted.

Back in Africa, OCP also continues to support farming through strategic partnerships. On July 29, Morocco delivered 2,000 tons of fertilizer to Ghana to support the country’s “Feed Ghana” program.

The shipment, managed by OCP Africa, was received by Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture at an event attended by key government and diplomatic officials.

Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture John Dumelo, Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Morocco’s Ambassador to Ghana, Imane Ouaadil, were all present at the handover.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Ouaadil stressed the broader significance of the delivery. “This donation is in line with Morocco’s commitment to strengthening long-standing solidarity between the two countries, following the vision of King Mohammed VI and President John Dramani Mahama,” she said.

She also confirmed that the fertilizer delivery was part of a set of promises made during a recent visit by Minister Ablakwa to Rabat, which also led to a visa waiver agreement between the two countries.

With ongoing work in Brazil and new support to Ghana, OCP is placing agriculture at the center of its international strategy. These efforts show how soil health, farmer support, and strong partnerships can come together to strengthen global food systems.

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