On April 26, 2023, Mr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, visited Tsubame BHB’s Kawasaki Plant along with his staff. Plant representatives introduced the company’s electride catalyst technologies and small ammonia synthesis facilities, and provided a tour of the workplace where ammonia is actually manufactured. After the tour, President Adesina participated in a lively discussion regarding the rollout of the green ammonia and fertilizer businesses on the African continent.

The population of Africa is expected to increase rapidly, by some estimates accounting for one quarter of the global population (approx. 2.5 billion) in 2050, and the question of how to sustain this population (“How to Feed Africa”) has become an issue. It is said that 60% of the world’s unused arable land is in Africa, and the continent has great potential for growth in agricultural production, but a fragile infrastructure, among other issues, has resulted in a dependency on imports for food and fertilizer in many African countries.

Through a distributed local production / local consumption model for ammonia and fertilizer in African countries, Tsubame BHB will undertake business that enables decarbonization, cost reductions, and stable supply throughout the fertilizer supply chain, contributing to decarbonization and food safety and security.