Harvesting Sustainability: Cost-competitiveness of Green Fertilizer Value Chains in Western Africa
Abstract
The use of nitrogen fertilizers in Sub-Saharan Africa is low compared to other regions of the world, leading to inadequate crop yields. Furthermore, conventional production from fossil fuel-based ammonia is highly emissions-intensive, making decarbonization urgent. Local production using green hydrogen, sourced solely from solar energy, water, and air, could address both agricultural and climate challenges. This study focuses on Ghana, where nitrogen inputs are among the lowest globally. Using an open-source framework, we evaluate high-resolution production costs for sustainable ammonia and examine two decarbonized pathways - aqueous ammonia and urea. It is found that cost estimates with current assumptions mostly exceed historical prices. However, given their resilience to global market disruptions and expected future cost decreases of the technologies used, these sustainable approaches represent a promising pathway for development in Sub-Saharan Africa.
