Environmentally friendly fertilizer blending Note: This project has been cancelled, because there was insufficient progress.Agriculture is Tanzanias most important sector. The share of this sector in GDP is estimated at 25% to 30% and about 80% of the population is active in agriculture or related areas.With a growing population (in Tanzania but also in rest of the world) the demand for food will increase strongly over the next decades. It is widely accepted that several African countries (e.g. Tanzania) are marked as a suitable source to meet a major part of the increasing worldwide demand for agricultural products. Acknowledging the growth in the agriculture sector it is expected that the demand for fertilizer will also increase.The present use of fertilizer in Tanzania is low compared to other countries. Increase in fertilizer use will for certain affect the output of the sector. However, the fertilizer market in Tanzania is not well developed. The parties already operating in this market are all importers of chemical compound NPK formulas NPK (N stands for Nitrogen, P for Phosphorous, and K for Potassium), because no NPK fertilizers are produced in Tanzania. There is no control on the imported products and most of them are considered as inferior quality. Moreover, NPK fertilizers are only available in a limited number of standard formulas which not always meet the specific needs of the crops and do not take the local soil condition into account, resulting in sub-optimal use of fertilizer. The Dutch applicant Zeeman B.V. and its Tanzanian partner Live Support Systems Ltd will establish a fertilizer blending factory and a soil analysis service station in Vikawe Kisambo, Vikawe Shuleni ward Region, coastal region, at a distance of about 40 km of the port of Dar es Salaam. Here, imported raw materials will be blended into custom-made NPK fertilizer blends, partly based on incoming soil samples from clients. The fertilizer blends will be sold to big farms, retailers and wholesalers, cooperatives, government and others. Retailers and wholesalers will distribute the fertilizers to smaller farms and outgrowers.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)Labour standards of the joint venture will reflect the project partners current human resource/CSR policies:-	No child or forced labour is allowed and no child labour risks is allowed in their supply chain.-	Health and safety policies will be followed: employees will receive pension scheme and receive health insurance.-	 Freedom to establish, or to associate with, any organisation is acknowledged and equal opportunities (gender) policy will be implemented.-	Product safety will be guaranteed by making all blends according to local regulation and international guidelines from the European Fertilizer Blenders Association (EFBA), the European Fertilizer Manufacturing Association (EFMA) and BlendPlus! © by the Nederlandse Vereniging voor Blenders van Meststoffen (NVBM).-	Corruption will not be tolerated: all business transactions will be included transparently in the companys annual financial statements. These will be audited by an independent accountant and by the Tanzanian bureau of standards and certifications.-	An environmental impact assessment has been conducted before the partners have started to construct the plant. In addition, the joint ventures environmental management is expected to focus on energy efficiency through isolation and waste management.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsSee CSR policy above.The partners indicate that they will put a lot of effort in training its employees, will offer intern positions regularly for students from agricultural schools and will work together with agricultural universities. The project partners will try to attract agricultural experts to work in the company and will try to keep its trained/educated personnel by offering compliant remuneration and interesting fringe benefits.•	Innovation/Transfer of knowledgeThe product is not yet available on the market in Tanzania; neither is the production method. There are some farmers which make very simple mixes of fertilizer themselves since no fertilizer blend is available on the local market.Although, soil sample analysis facilities are present in Tanzania, their capacity is very limited (only available at some universities) and the price for the services is high, limiting their scope to only a small group of farmers. The proposed service centre will not only provide analysis in the lab but also in the field by providing distributors small field kits. In addition to that, combined with the analysis a crop- and soil- specific fertilizer advice can be given.•	Chain effectsRaw materials (N, P and K ingredients) are being obtained outside Tanzania. Local services are harbour services, transport services etc.The impact on local costumers is expected to be significant: by applying crop- and soil-specific fertilizers yields are expected to increase considerably. On the premises of the plant demo plots (with crops without fertilizer, with standard fertilizer and with crop specific fertilizer) will be created.•	Impact on the sectorThe impact on other parties in the sector is limited. There will be some cooperation with agricultural institutes but this is not the main topic of the project.•	EnvironmentThe partners will have an EIA conducted and will implement an environmental management system (reduction of emission to the air, reducing waste, etc.). It is anticipated that the product will result in a more efficient use of fertilizer reducing e.g. leaching to groundwater and surface water. This will e.g. prevent eutrophication of surface water.•	Position of womenNeutral. Although indicating that there is an equal position policy the amount of women employed will be limited. To establish a fertilizer blending plant to produce a variety of (custom made) fertilizers with an annual production capacity of 23,000 tons of NPK fertilizer blends per year by the end of the pilot phase being marketed on the national market. Additionall