Fertilizer International 521 Jul-Aug 2024
31 July 2024
IFA 2024 Annual Conference
CONFERENCE REPORT
IFA 2024 Annual Conference
Some 1,265 delegates from 552 companies and 72 countries gathered in Singapore for the 9Ist International Fertilizer Association (IFA) Annual Conference, 20-22 May 2024. Claire Newell, IFA’s Director of Communications & Marketing, reports on the main highlights of this three-day flagship event.
Singapore was the host city for this year’s International Fertilizer Association (IFA) Annual Conference, which brought together industry leaders, experts, and stakeholders under the theme of ‘Nourishing the Planet, Powering the Future’.
The three-day event explored the fertilizer industry’s pivotal role in addressing food security while transitioning to a low-carbon economy, and featured market analysis as well as topical presentations on issues such as the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and gender diversity in the fertilizer industry.
With the generous support of ten member company sponsors and the Singapore Board of Tourism, the 2024 Conference was an enormous success, featuring participation from 1265 delegates, who between them represented 552 companies from 72 countries across the world.
Day one highlights – a global, regional and industry overview
The Annual Conference opened on Monday 20 May with a two-part keynote session, which set the scene with a high level overview of international and regional trends impacting the fertilizer industry.
First, Caroline Yap, Managing Director of Global AI Business and Applied Engineering at Google provided an exciting perspective on the potential of AI in improving global food security and combatting climate change, while Carsten Müller, Regional Industry Director of Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services Asia at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) shared a regional manufacturing outlook for Asia, which is attracting increasing foreign investment in the high-tech, food/beverages, and chemical industries.
Dr. Kazuki Saito from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) discussed the concerns and potential solutions for the future of sustainable rice farming in the context of global economic shifts, urbanization, climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water scarcity and soil health, against the backdrop of increasing rice consumption. A CEO panel convened by Alzbeta Klein subsequently explored how the industry must continue to navigate geopolitical tensions, climate change, a dynamic stakeholder landscape, and the adoption of AI in order to meet both present and future challenges.
In the second part of Monday’s keynote session, ‘Navigating the choppy seas’, Rahul Kapoor, VP and Global Head of Shipping Analytics and Research at S&P Global discussed the varied challenges facing the global shipping industry. The war in Ukraine, high inflation, interest rates, and conflict in the Middle East continue to impact shipping routes and markets, with ships being diverted via the Cape of Good Hope, which is leading to longer transit times. The higher costs caused by these disruptions are set to persist during the remainder of 2024.
The second expert panel of the morning featured speakers from across the value chain – namely Hans-Christian Olesen, Chief Executive of Ultrabulk, Alexander Chumakov, Chief Operating Officer (Fertilizers) at Ameropa, Jaine Chisholm Caunt OBE, Director General of the Grain and Feed Trade Association, Edward Weiner, Chief Executive of Trammo and Murali Srinivasan, SVP & Global Commercial Head, Clean Ammonia at Yara International – who agreed that in the future, more disruption is likely both in terms of geopolitical turbulence and the energy transition. By 2030-2040, ammonia, methanol, nuclear and other low-carbon fuels are likely to be widely adopted for shipping. Digitalization, e-documentation, and clear regulations for the shipping industry’s decarbonization were also confirmed by the panel as being critical issues in the near term.
Day one continued with IFA’s Market Outlook session, a perennial highlight of the IFA Annual Conference program. Laura Cross, IFA’s Director of Market Intelligence and Armelle Gruère, Demand Program Manager within IFA’s Market Intelligence Service, presented the latest five-year outlook for fertilizer supply and demand. They highlighted the global south’s leading role in fertilizer use in the medium-term and the changing capacity investment cycle, which has entered a new phase driven by the need for decarbonization and the shifting strategies of governments and companies.
Day two – exploring gender diversity and AI
Along with IFA’s statutory meetings, the second day of the Conference featured further insightful sessions in plenary.
The Gender Diversity session explored the industry’s journey towards a more inclusive and diverse workforce, five years on from the very first such session at an IFA Annual Conference. In an engaging keynote speech, Fernanda Lopes Larsen, Executive Vice President for Africa & Asia at Yara International, shared her perspectives on the three I’s of diversity – namely intention, involvement, and inclusion.
An expert panel moderated by Alzbeta Klein and featuring Seelan Gobalsamy, CEO of Omnia, Jana Plananska, Director of EU and Government Affairs at Norge Mining, Priyanka Jain, General Manager at Valency International and Simon Thomas, Vice President Projects -Potash at BHP then shared insights on how best to build on the progress that has already been achieved.
Moving on to inclusion outside the factory gates, delegates heard from two further speakers who emphasized the importance of diverse hiring, inclusive workplaces, and establishing measurable representation goals. Fawad Mukhtar, CEO of Fatima Fertilizer, showcased a vital program run by his company that supports women farmers, and provided details of the company’s mission to highlight the many contributions women make in Pakistani society, particularly within agriculture.
Hiti Taluja, Chief Commercial Officer at Agriflex presented the company’s deliberate approach to community engagement and how this additionally supports the inclusion of women within the company.
Tuesday’s final session focused once more on AI, with an expert line up of speakers exploring the potential of AI adoption in the factory and on the farm, and discussing how different AI technologies can be used to optimize fertilizer production operations, increase yields, reduce the negative environmental impacts of fertilizer, and drive industry innovation. IFA’s Sustainability Director and co-chair of the Association’s nascent AI Working Group, Volker Andresen, moderated the discussion.
Spencer Low, Head of Regional Sustainability (APAC) at Google provided a ‘view from the top’ of AI applications in data interrogation, conversational interactions, and information synthesis. Case studies from Alec Asbridge, Senior Director at EY Parthenon and Roslyn Chua, Head of Digital Farming Asia Pacific at Bayer provided an insightful ‘view from the outside’ of the industry, while Majda Moumni, General Director of OCP Solutions and Lior Frimet, Head of Artificial Intelligence at ICL completed the presentations with an ‘inside’ / industry perspective.
The session provided some fascinating insights into AI’s real-world application and potential for use in precision agriculture, supply chain optimization, worker safety, sustainability monitoring, and improving farmer communications. During an engaging fireside chat-style discussion with audience Q&A, topics such as the need for ethical AI governance and human oversight, consideration of potential data biases, and the role of public-private collaboration for responsible AI adoption were also covered.
Day three – IFA AGM and Green Leaf Awards
As is customary, the final day of the IFA Annual Conference featured the Association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), during which the activities of the Association over the past six months were shared with members, and Association business enacted. This year, the AGM additionally boasted the presentation of the biennial IFA Green Leaf Awards for excellence in safety, health, and the environment (SHE) to two deserving member companies.
In the phosphate/potash producer category, IMACID (a joint venture of OCP Group, CFCL Group, and TATA Chemicals) in Morocco was recognized for its proactive safety culture, embracing the Bird pyramid approach, and integrated ISO certifications. In the nitrogen producer category, Engro Fertilizers Limited, Manufacturing Division in Pakistan, was honored for its comprehensive SHE management approach, including the innovative ECO-GREEN project aimed at enhancing plant energy efficiency and reducing emissions.
The runners-up, Pakphos Maroc Phosphore (PMP), a joint venture of OCP Group and Fauji Group, and Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited, Goth Macchi, Pakistan, were commended for their exceptional SHE initiatives, such as PMP’s digitalization through Operational Safety Management Systems platform and Fauji Fertilizer Company’s environmental initiatives like NH3 and H2 recovery, N2 plant replacement, and the installation of solar power. IFA commends each of the winners and runners up for their diligent commitment to excellence in SHE practices within the fertilizer industry.
As the Conference drew to a close, the General Assembly of the membership elected seven new representatives to its Board of Directors:
- Bruce Bodine, President and CEO of Mosaic
- Soufiyane El Kassi, Chief Growth Officer of OCP Nutricrops
- Xiaofeng Hou, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director of China BlueChemical
- Dmitry Konyaev, General Director of Uralchem, JSC
- Jahangir Piracha, Chief Executive Officer of Fauji Fertilizer Company Ltd
- Edward Weiner, President & Chief Executive Officer of Trammo, Inc.
- Kelvin Wickham, Chief Executive Officer of Ballance Agri-Nutrients
Additionally, IFA welcomed 34 new members to the Association – five Ordinary Members, 24 Associate Members, two Affiliate Members and three Correspondent Members.
After three packed days of business, information-sharing, exhibitions and networking with peers across the industry, the Conference concluded. IFA would like to once again thank everyone who participated, from sponsors to speakers, delegates and exhibitors.
As the fertilizer industry continues to play a crucial role in nourishing the planet and powering the future, it is our belief at IFA that events such as the Annual Conference foster vital opportunities for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and the adoption of best practices, all in support our mission of helping to feed the world sustainably.
