Time for sustainable use of fertiliser to feed Africa's rising population

Dennis Rangi. [File, Standard]

The dust has settled on the Africa Fertiliser and Soil Health Summit. What next for the sustainable and responsible use of fertiliser to help feed Africa’s rapidly growing population?

The focus now shifts to the sustainable and responsible use of fertiliser to address the pressing challenge of feeding Africa’s rapidly expanding population. At the summit in Nairobi in May, African heads of state signed the Nairobi Declaration, pledging to enhance fertiliser use in agriculture sustainably. Currently, over 485 million Africans - about 65 per cent of the population - are grappling with degraded cultivated land, exacerbating the difficulty of producing sufficient quality food.

Moreover, up to 40 per cent of crop yields are lost due to pests, diseases, and climate change impacts like severe floods and droughts. To meet the growing demand for nutritious fruits and vegetables and double agricultural production, Africa’s 33 million smallholder farmers must triple fertiliser use within the next decade. Despite previous commitments like the 2006 Abuja Declaration, which aimed for 50kg/ha of fertiliser use, current consumption only averages around 18kg/ha, highlighting the urgent need for accelerated progress.

Digital data and tools are pivotal in this endeavour. Partnerships and advancements in technology can empower smallholder farmers with crucial information on sustainable fertiliser use under an Integrated Crop Management approach. This approach not only bolsters crop health but also minimises environmental impact, aligning with Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) principles.

ILM fosters resilience among natural resources through collaborative, long-term strategies involving diverse stakeholders, crucial in mitigating ecosystem degradation intensified by climate change. Such strategies encompass crop rotations, no-till practices, and efficient water management, supplemented by organic and commercial fertilisers.

An ILM approach refers to long-term collaboration among diverse stakeholders to foster natural resource resilience at the landscape level.

Through careful participatory planning and adaptive strategies involving all stakeholders, ILM ensures resilience to environmental challenges while fostering harmonious coexistence between nature and human activities.

CABI underscores the value of soil data, exemplified by its leadership in enhancing National Soil Information Systems across various countries. Investments in data infrastructure have already demonstrated significant improvements in soil health and farmer livelihoods. Additionally, initiatives like the Optimizing Fertilizer Recommendations for Africa project have yielded tools like the Fertiliser Optimisation and Calibration Tools, enhancing fertiliser efficiency and profitability for African farmers.

The optimisation tool helps farmers optimise fertiliser use. For example, it optimises across various crop-nutrient functions and allocates available money to the crop-nutrient-rate options that is likely to give the most profit. The calibration tool ensures the correct means and rate of application, for fertilizer, manure or other input.

Looking forward, the African Union’s commitment to provide targeted agronomic recommendations to 70 per cent of smallholder farmers by 2034 underscores the imperative for sustained action. This includes operationalising the Africa Fertiliser Financing Mechanism outlined in the Nairobi Declaration, crucial for scaling production, procurement, and distribution of fertilisers and soil health interventions.

However, amidst these advancements, sustainability remains paramount. Balancing fertiliser use to avoid environmental harm while promoting agricultural productivity is essential. Strategies like integrating biofertilisers with chemical fertilisers can enhance nutrient availability while fostering soil health and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.