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Fertilizer crisis: Africa's options amid the Hormuz Blockade

Deutsche Welle · · 1186 words · By David Ehl
Geopolitical Conflict Regional Cooperation Economic Vulnerability
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.dw.com/en/fertilizer-shortages-what-africas-options-during-the-hormu…

psychologyDetected Techniques

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Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
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Appeal to Fear 60% confidence
Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

15 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

schedule Pending 5
verified Verified By Reference 4
check_circle Corroborated 3
info Single Source 3
verified
“For more than two months, there have hardly been any merchant ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing blockade.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia explicitly states that shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been largely blocked by Iran since February 28, 2026, following the start of an air war by the US and Israel. This aligns with the claim of a blockade lasting more than two months as of May 2026.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Iran's anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy in the Strait of Hormuz mixes advanced technology with guerilla tactics to deny, deter or delay foreign forces access and maritime freedom of maneuver. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_anti-access_and_area_d…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Portuguese conquest of Hormuz in 1507 occurred when the Portuguese Afonso de Albuquerque attacked Hormuz Island to establish the Fortress of Hormuz. This conquest gave the Portuguese full control …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_conquest_of_Hormuz
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major maritime choke point for world energy trade, has been largely blocked by Iran since 28 February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Strait_of_Hormuz_crisis
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“prior to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia confirms that on February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, targeting military and government sites.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Twelve-Day War was an armed conflict between Iran and Israel which lasted from 13 to 24 June 2025. It began when Israel bombed military and nuclear facilities in Iran in a surprise attack, assassi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-Day_War
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Since 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel have been engaged in a war with Iran and its regional allies. The conflict began when the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, targeting mili…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iran_war
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Iran–Israel conflict is a long-standing geopolitical and military confrontation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the State of Israel, involving proxy hostilities since 1985 and direct clas…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran–Israel_conflict
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“Willy Nyamitwe, Burundi's African Union (AU) ambassador and current chair of the Permanent Committee of Ambassadors”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web sources (Ambassade du Burundi, ReliefWeb, and another diplomatic source) confirm Willy Nyamitwe is the Burundi Permanent Representative to the AU and has served as the Chairperson of the PSC (Permanent Committee of Ambassadors).
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web search NEUTRAL — Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – His Excellency Ambassador Willy Nyamitwe, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Burundi to the African Union, presided over a high-level meeting of the PRC Sub-Committee …
https://www.ambabuaddisabeba.mae.gov.bi/
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web search NEUTRAL — The PSC Chair for the month and Permanent Representative of Burundi to the AU, Ambassador Willy Nyamitwe will be delivering the opening remarks. The Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Secur…
https://amaniafrica-et.org/engagement-between-the-psc-and-th…
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web search NEUTRAL — Noting the opening remarks by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Burundi to the AU, and Chairperson of the PSC for the month of April 2022, H.E. Ambassador Willy Nyamitwe; the statement b…
https://reliefweb.int/report/world/communique-1079th-meeting…
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“Russia and Belarus were two of the most important fertilizer producers”
CORROBORATED
Three independent web sources (Sifted, World Grain, and Bridge Michigan) all state that Russia and Belarus are major global producers of fertilizers.
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web search NEUTRAL — Russia and Belarus are major fertilizer producers, exporting the vast majority of their production to other countries. Both countries are now subject to sanctions in some nations, while Russia has ann…
https://bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/michigan-far…
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web search NEUTRAL — Russia and Belarus are major producers of fertilisers and as much as 25% of Europe's supply of key ingredients comes from Russia.
https://sifted.eu/articles/agritech-startups-fertiliser-cris…
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web search NEUTRAL — Russia and Belarus are major players in the global fertilizers market.Belarusian state potash fertilizer producer Belaruskali found itself in a similar situation, being stripped of part of the foreign…
https://www.world-grain.com/articles/17475-have-fertilizer-p…
info
“In Ethiopia, diesel is now being prioritized for public transportation, leaving private customers without petrol”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided search results for Ethiopia discuss general demographics, cargo in Djibouti, and fuel tariffs in Nigeria, but none provide evidence regarding the prioritization of diesel for public transport over private customers in Ethiopia.
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web search NEUTRAL — Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic state with over 80 different ethnic groups. Christianity is the most widely professed faith in the country, with the largest denomination being the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopia
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web search NEUTRAL — Addressing concerns over potential congestion due to the rising number of vessels, the chairman emphasised that Djibouti possesses ample infrastructure to handle the influx. “We have around six deep-s…
https://capitalethiopia.com/2026/04/06/djibouti-prioritises-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Consumer advocates and transport unions have hailed it as a "bold decision" that could trigger a modest fuel price decline in the coming weeks, easing pressures on commuters and logistics firms.
https://www.gradualtv.com/2025/11/nigeria-halts-15-import-ta…
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“in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, rolling blackouts are being used to reduce the output of the country's oil-fired power plant.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While evidence confirms South Sudan generates 96% of its electricity from oil, there is no specific evidence in the provided results stating that rolling blackouts are currently being used in Juba specifically to reduce the output of the oil-fired power plant.
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web search NEUTRAL — Rolling blackouts are a last-resort measure used by an electric utility company to avoid a total blackout of the power system. Rolling blackouts are a measure of demand response if the demand for elec…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_blackout
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web search NEUTRAL — South Sudan has some of East Africa's largest oil reserves, but the majority is exported, while it imports the refined product needed for fuel. According to the International Energy Agency, South Suda…
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq8wkq1n9epo
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web search NEUTRAL — South African utility Eskom was forced to implement rolling blackouts for the second time this year after a coal silo supplying a 4.1-GW coal-fired power plant collapsed on Nov.
https://www.powermag.com/eskom-resorts-to-rolling-blackouts-…
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“The Gambia has started subsidizing fuel with more than €5.8 million (around $6.8 million) in tax revenue”
SINGLE SOURCE
The search results discuss fuel subsidies in Ethiopia, Egypt, and Greece, but there is no mention of The Gambia using €5.8 million in tax revenue for fuel subsidies.
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web search NEUTRAL — In addition to the basic waste of revenue, additional budgeting problems arise from fuel subsidies. As we all know, the price of gas is very volatile. When global oil prices rise, so does the amount t…
https://freakonomics.com/2013/08/fuel-subsidies-the-worlds-d…
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web search NEUTRAL — As international oil prices remain volatile, the Greek state has managed to secure surplus tax revenues, though these funds fall short of covering the full cost of diesel subsidies paid to consumers. …
https://qaadv.com/2026/05/06/chrysa-liangou-may-6-2026-08-01…
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web search NEUTRAL — “The growth of tax revenue is not matching the growth of GDP,” he said. “The fuel tax is not for profit — it will be used to sustain the fuel subsidy and reduce the burden on the treasury.” The move c…
https://financeinafrica.com/news/ethiopia-targets-7-3bn-tax-…
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“Zimbabwe has turned to blending fossil fuels with ethanol.”
CORROBORATED
Three independent sources (allAfrica, ZiMetro News, and a government decree report) confirm that Zimbabwe is blending fossil fuels (petrol) with locally produced ethanol.
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web search NEUTRAL — Further, he elaborated that since Zimbabwe was blending with ethanol, the. actual cost of the imported fuel had been, therefore, reduced by the fact that Zimbabwe was generating part of its fuel local…
https://allafrica.com/stories/202603230033.html
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web search NEUTRAL — Government hopes the blending of ethanol with unleaded petrol will reduce the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and promote the use of renewable energy sources.
https://www.zimlive.com/zimbabwe-bans-unleaded-petrol-sale-d…
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web search NEUTRAL — Over this period, Zimbabwe has blended about 1 billion litres of locally produced ethanol into the national fuel supply, representing one of the largest renewable fuel substitution programmes in the S…
https://zimetro.co.zw/ethanol-blending-a-strategic-asset-zim…
verified
“Before the Iran war began, nearly 50% of the sulphur used in phosphate fertilizers globally had passed through the Strait of Hormuz”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia entries confirm the 2026 Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz (noting 20% of world oil trade passes through it), but they do not provide the specific statistic that 50% of global sulphur for phosphate fertilizers passed through the strait.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Iran war fuel crisis is an ongoing worldwide fuel crisis caused by the war between Iran and the U.S.-Israel coalition. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of the wor…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Iran_war_fuel_crisis
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Iran war, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has led to what the International Energy Agency has characterized as the "largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil m…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_impact_of_the_2026_Ir…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Strait of Hormuz () is a waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. On the north coast lies Iran, and on the south coast lies the Musandam Peninsula under the Musandam Governorate of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strait_of_Hormuz
verified
“The South African grain producers' association, Grain SA, reported that in April, ammonia prices were already more than 75% higher than just a year earlier; urea was also reported to be about 60% more expensive.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The Wikipedia results provided for this claim discuss Bunge Global, the definition of cereal, and grain entrapment; they contain no information regarding Grain SA or ammonia/urea price increases in April 2026.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Bunge Global SA (BUN-ghee) is a global agribusiness and food company, incorporated in Geneva, Switzerland and headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. As well as being an international so…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunge_Global
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A cereal is a grass (family Poaceae) cultivated for its edible grain. Cereals are the world's largest crops, and are therefore staple foods. They include rice, wheat (UK: corn), rye, oats, barley, mi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cereal
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Grain entrapment, or grain engulfment, occurs when a person becomes submerged in grain and cannot get out without assistance. It most frequently occurs in grain bins and other storage facilities such …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_entrapment
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“The model for this idea is the Grain Agreement, which enabled the safe export of Ukrainian grain from July 2022 to July 2023 with Russia's approval”
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“According to data from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank, farms in the region [sub-Saharan Africa] use an average of 20.5 kilograms of fertilizer per hectare, compared to just under 144 kilograms on average globally.”
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“The current major players in this field are Morocco and Egypt, both of which have large phosphate deposits”
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“the Nigerian Dangote Group meanwhile also intends to expand production, and is planning to open new urea plants in Nigeria and Ethiopia.”
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“the AfCFTA has been in place since 2021”
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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.