News

Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit 2024

Published: 09 May 2024

The SASi-SPi project was present at the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit on May 7-9 in Nairobi. The Objective of the Summit was to bring together all relevant stakeholders to highlight the crucial role of fertilizer and soil health in stimulating sustainable pro-poor productivity growth in African agriculture and to agree on an African Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan, as well as the Soils Initiative for Africa.

The following commitments were made at the summit:

  • Triple fertilizer use from 18 kg/ha in 2020 to 54 kg/ha by 2034
  • Reverse land degradation and restore soil health on at least 30% of degraded soil

A corresponding action plan was made in which the following commitments were made:

  • Contribute to doubling cereal crop productivity from 1.7 t/ha in 2020 to 3.5 t/ha by 2034
  • Maintain nitrogen use efficiency on cultivated land at at least 60% to promote agricultural profitability and environmental sustainability
  • Contribute to doubling the annual growth rate of agriculture from 4% in 2023 to 8% in 2033
  • Develop extension and last-mile delivery services to enable 70% of farmers to access effective advice on agronomy, sustainable soil management and fertilization
  • Expand the agricultural land under sustainable soil management practices from 8.2% in 2021 to 30% in 2034.

SASi-SPi side event

At the summit SASi-SPi also hosted a side event on May 8 on the topic Using fertilizers in agroecological approaches in Africa talking about:

Agronomic data show that sub-Saharan Africa can increase agricultural yields through the synergistic use of agroecological practices and mineral fertilisers. What incentives can African countries implement in their agricultural and food systems to encourage farmers to sustainably intensify their production?

Two take away messages from the side event were:  

  1. It is recognised that fertilizers are less efficient on degraded soil and agroecology improves the results of mineral fertilizers
  2. Intensification is not always profitable, especially when food prices and demand are not stable. For this reason, policies for investment in production are more effective if designed as part of a food system. 

 

Read more about the SASi-SPi side-event: Using fertilizers in agroecological approaches in Africa (CIRAD)

Read more about the summit: Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit 2024