NZ Fertiliser Co-operatives Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Ravensdown import most of the phosphate rock used to grow just about everything in this country from Western Sahara—a territory illegally occupied by Morocco.
New Zealand
for Western Sahara
An initiative dedicated to stopping the New Zealand agro-industry's support of human rights violations in Africa's last colony.
New Zealand is importing phosphate stolen from Refugees and funding war in the process.
New Zealand
An Introduction
Western Sahara
The Overall Situation
Western Sahara is classified by the United Nations as a non-self-governing territory and since the 1960s – when Spain was still colonising the area – the United Nations has been calling for the people of Western Sahara to be allowed to enact their right to vote to self-determine their future. In fact, the promise of a referendum for self-determination was a major part of the 1991 ceasefire agreement, negotiated by the United Nations.
You might be thinking at this point, "this sounds terrible, but what does it have to do with New Zealand?". Unbeknownst to most New Zealanders, we have close and longstanding ties to Western Sahara through trade. Western Sahara is rich in natural resources, including high quality phosphate rock which has been purchased from Morocco and imported to New Zealand since the late 1980s.
Western Sahara
Phosphate Extraction at Bou Craa
In the heart of Western Sahara, the Bou Craa mine stretches across the desert. Phosphate extracted here is transported via the world's longest conveyor belt, bound for foreign markets—including New Zealand.
The Saharawi people receive no benefit from this trade. Instead, Morocco profits from resources taken from occupied lands, in defiance of international law.
Bou Craa Mine
Mining
The Bou Craa mine is one of the largest phosphate mines in the world. It is located in the Guelmim-Es Semara region of Western Sahara. The mine is operated by the Moroccan state-owned company OCP.
The mine is one of the largest phosphate mines in the world. It is located in the Guelmim-Es Semara region of Western Sahara. The mine is operated by the Moroccan state-owned company OCP.
Bou Craa Mine
The Conveyor Belt of Control
Zooming in on the Bou Craa mine, we see one of the world's longest conveyor belts—spanning over 100 kilometres from the mine to the coast. This infrastructure physically embodies the flow of resources from the desert interior to foreign export vessels.
The satellite view reveals the sheer scale of the operation: massive extraction pits, dusty processing facilities, and an industrial pipeline cutting through the desert towards the Atlantic.
Western Sahara
An Occupied Territory
From this height, we see the full extent of Western Sahara's geography—split by the Berm, a militarised sand wall dividing Moroccan-controlled areas from Saharawi-administered lands.
To the east lies the Free Zone, largely uninhabited and dotted with refugee camps beyond the borders in Algeria. To the west, the occupied zone connects phosphate ports, fishing harbours, and a growing web of extractive infrastructure.
Tindouf Region
Sahrawi Refugee Camps
Near the Algerian border lie the refugee camps of the displaced Sahrawi population. These camps have existed since the 1970s, housing thousands in harsh desert conditions.
This prototype highlights the location with a simple 3D extrusion, symbolising future layers to come.
El Aaiún Port
Port Infrastructure and Export
At El Aaiún port, phosphate rock from Bou Craa is loaded onto bulk carrier vessels. This modern port facility, built specifically for phosphate export, can handle ships up to 100,000 tonnes.
The port serves as the final point in Western Sahara's phosphate extraction chain, where resources leave occupied territory bound for distant markets, including New Zealand.
New Zealand
New Zealand's Port Network
New Zealand's extensive port network spans both islands, handling millions of tonnes of cargo annually. From Northport in the far north to Bluff in the deep south, these facilities form the backbone of the country's international trade.
Ports such as Tauranga, Bluff, Napier, and Lyttelton serve as the primary destinations for controversial phosphate rock imports from Western Sahara, which quietly enter our supply chain.
Wellington
Parliamentary Accountability
In Wellington, MPs are confronted with questions around New Zealand's role in the phosphate trade. Despite calls from civil society and activists, the government has yet to act decisively.
Public pressure grows as awareness spreads. Campaigns call for transparency and ethical sourcing that respects international law and indigenous sovereignty.
Christchurch
Ravensdown's Role
Headquartered in Christchurch, Ravensdown is one of the key players in importing conflict phosphate. Despite mounting evidence and ethical concerns, they continue the trade.
Advocates demand answers and accountability, urging co-operatives to divest from conflict minerals and support sustainable, just alternatives.
Queenstown
Tourism and Clean Green Image
Queenstown represents New Zealand's pristine image abroad—an image at odds with the hidden phosphate trade. Tourists see clean landscapes, unaware of the ethical stains carried in the nation's soil.
This contradiction fuels a broader conversation: can a truly clean, green country rely on materials taken unjustly from occupied land?
Interactive Trade Route Map
Explore the map and see the trade routes from and to Western Sahara.
Visual Essay
Access the visual essay and see the story of the phosphate trade. Exploring the various stories of the phosphate trade, the impact on the Saharawi people and the environment.
Reports
Track ongoing resource exploitation activities and their impacts through our live monitoring system and data visualization tools in tandem with the Western Sahara Resource Watch.
The Issue
"The phosphate rock reserves are finite – once they are gone they are gone – and New Zealand should not be playing any part in the further depletion of stolen resources."
In 1975 Morocco invaded Western Sahara forcing many of the indigenous Saharawi people to flee for their lives, setting up camp as refugees in neighbouring Algeria. Forty- five years later the Sahrawis remain separated into two populations – those living in Western Sahara under Moroccan military occupation, and the refugee population on the Algerian border, who are fully reliant on international aid to survive and represent one of the longest running refugee crises in modern history.
During the years of war which followed the invasion, Moroccan forces built a 2000km wall through Western Sahara, installing millions of land mines to protect it. This wall is the longest fortified wall in the world and effectively separates Moroccan occupied Western Sahara from the rest of the territory.
Western Sahara is classified by the United Nations as a non-self-governing territory and since the 1960s – when Spain was still colonising the area – the United Nations has been calling for the people of Western Sahara to be allowed to enact their right to vote to self-determine their future. In fact, the promise of a referendum for self-determination was a major part of the 1991 ceasefire agreement, negotiated by the United Nations.
You might be thinking at this point, "this sounds terrible, but what does it have to do with New Zealand?". Unbeknownst to most New Zealanders, we have close and longstanding ties to Western Sahara through trade. Western Sahara is rich in natural resources, including high quality phosphate rock which has been purchased from Morocco and imported to New Zealand since the late 1980s. Currently the two big New Zealand Fertiliser Co-operatives Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Ravensdown import most of the phosphate rock used to grow just about everything in this country from Western Sahara.
The problem with New Zealand's involvement is that the revenue from our purchases of Phosphate rock are paid to the Moroccan occupiers – not the indigenous people – helping to fund the occupation, while also giving political legitimacy to an illegal occupation though our willingness to trade with them. This in turn also helps stall the United Nations peace process by giving the Moroccan government further incentive to entrench the status quo.
In recent years companies from Australia, Canada, the United States, and Europe have stopped trading in Western Saharan phosphate for ethical and legal reasons – meaning New Zealand is one of the last remaining countries willing to trade in this resource.
For many years Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Ravensdown have been questioned over their involvement in this trade – by Saharawis themselves, International Organisations, as well as New Zealanders who are concerned about our involvement. The New Zealand cooperatives continue to claim that they are comfortable with the legality and ethics of the trade - while acknowledging that their information comes directly from the Moroccan state-owned supplier. Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Ravensdown need to stop taking advantage of this situation and discontinue this trade until the promised vote on Saharawi self-determination has occurred.
The phosphate rock reserves are finite – once they are gone they are gone – and New Zealand should not be playing any part in the further depletion of stolen resources.
Files & Reports
Phosphate Mining in Bou Craa
An in-depth analysis of the environmental and socio-political impacts of phosphate mining in Western Sahara. This visual essay explores the consequences of resource extraction on local ecosystems and communities.
Through interactive maps and data visualizations, we examine the scale of phosphate mining operations and their implications for the region's future.
Read Analysis
International Trade and Resource Exploitation
Explore the complex network of international companies involved in resource exploitation in Western Sahara. This analysis reveals the global connections and legal implications of resource extraction.
From fishing agreements to renewable energy projects, discover how international trade affects the region's resources and communities.
Read Analysis
Resource Exploitation in Western Sahara
A comprehensive report on the environmental and socio-political impacts of resource extraction in Western Sahara.
Read ReportInternational Law and Resource Rights
Analysis of the legal framework surrounding resource exploitation in Western Sahara and its implications.
Read PaperEnvironmental Impact Assessment
Detailed study of the environmental consequences of resource extraction activities in Western Sahara.
Read StudyHow You Can Help
If you are a shareholder of Ravensdown or Ballance
We encourage Ravensdown and Ballance shareholders to do independent research and reading on this issue. The directors of these co-operatives have not completed proper due-diligence on this matter, and as a result they have mislead shareholders. The continued importation of phosphate from Western Sahara not only makes all shareholders complicit in the trade, but also leaves shareholders open to reputational damage. There is more reading on the ethical and legal implications of this trade to New Zealand farmers and growers in this dissertation completed at the University of Otago in 2020—Co-operative Denial:The Violent Cost of New Zealand's Phosphate Rock Imports for the People of Western Sahara.
One of the most effective things you can do is to let your fertiliser co-operative know that you do not wish to be made complicit in this crisis. We need to remember that Ravensdown and Ballance shareholders own these companies, and as more farmers speak out, the chance of change becomes greater. Some farmers have also already found ways to switch from using these products, even while continuing to farm conventionally. Please get in touch with us if you would like to hear about potential options from fellow farmers.
Write an email to your local MP
In too many instances those who represent us are not aware of this issue. The more our MPs hear from us, the more likely they raise this issue in parliament.
Follow & share on social media
Talk to friends & family
Simply talking with those around you and sharing your knowledge may sound small, but in reality this is an important way we can raise awareness and push for change. This crisis is hiding in plain sight, and the more people who know about, the greater voice we can give in support of Sahrawi.