March 4, 2010
Even before the Rome UN-conference on World Food Security in November of last year, it was evident: the topic of how to secure world sustenance is at the top of the international political agenda. K+S KALI GmbH is prepared to participate in the global discourse and research on feasible and sustainable solutions. This was also proven by K+S KALI GmbH’s participation in an international expert workshop on “Industrial Contributions to Securing World Sustenance” at the end of January in Bonn, which was organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ).
More than 50 representatives from German and international organisations involved in agriculture, food production and trade, as well as representatives from partner countries and NGO’s discussed best-practice examples of how to sustainably conquer hunger in the world. The discussion did not only focus on efficient agricultural production and distribution systems, but also on how to transfer relevant knowledge in world regions with a strong know-how backlog.
“As K+S KALI GmbH we consider it our assignment to use our agricultural expertise to develop fertilisation consultation directly tailored to local conditions and people,” says application consultant Dr. Hans-Peter König. In his opinion, the education of local farmers is one of the primary keys to success, a point he illustrated by a K+S KALI GmbH training project in Africa.
Dr. Hans-peter König, Agricultural Application Consultation and Friedhelm Mester, Marketing Projects / Trade Policy (left to right) (photograph: K+S)
“Securing a sufficient food supply to the world’s population is a task which no individual state or company can solve”, said Friedhelm Mester, Head of the Division Marketing Projects / Trade Policy. “We are therefore very glad that the Bonn workshop created the basis for an international forum of experts, who are ready to face the challenge of combating hunger together with politics, the industry, science and civic society. K+S KALI GmbH will continue to be an active contributor in this dialogue.” A follow-up conference is planned for later this year.
