Africa holds 60% of the world’s untapped arable land, a resource that could not only nourish our growing population but also position the continent as a global breadbasket.
As we continually reflect on our planet’s health, we must recognize soils as renewable powerhouses, akin to solar and wind energy, demanding a parallel revolution in sustainable agriculture. Healthy soils seize carbon, enhance biodiversity, and build climate resilience.
Yet systemic gaps in supply services of farm inputs, inappropriate agronomic advisory services, and inadequate local fertilizer production perpetuate degraded soils, stagnant yields, and climate vulnerability. Africa’s smallholder farmers, who are the backbone of food systems, apply just 18kg of fertilizer per hectare on average in Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 13% of the global average.
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The Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit Declaration, endorsed by heads of state in May 2024 in Nairobi sets bold targets of tripling domestic fertilizer production, rehabilitating 30% of degraded land, and equipping 70% of smallholders with tailored guidance by 2034.
Several countries have begun integrating the declaration’s commitments into their National Agricultural Investment Plans, with governments like Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Ethiopia initiating policy reviews to prioritize domestic fertilizer production and soil health investments.
The imperative is clear: investing in soil health is not just an agricultural strategy; it is a fundamental pillar for food security, economic growth, and climate adaptation across Africa. Actionable investments are therefore critical at the National level to empower local fertilizer ventures, digital soil health platforms, and last-mile input distribution networks, which can ignite rural economies.
Just as the ongoing shift towards renewable energy is lifting communities from poverty, a sustained commitment to sustainable farming practices will reduce malnutrition, build resilience against environmental shocks, and curb emissions for generations to come.
The Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU), co-convened by AGRA in 2023, emphasizes the need for policy coherence and collaboration. Governments must fund soil labs, soil mapping, extension services, and rural infrastructure, while partners align initiatives with national priorities to avoid fragmentation.
This transition requires going beyond external aid to grow domestic resource mobilization and innovative financing models. Africa’s digital revolution, with 60% of farmers owning mobile phones, can democratize access to agronomic advice and market data, bridging critical gaps.
These solutions must respect local knowledge and ecology. The “4 Rs” of nutrient stewardship—right source, right rate, right time, and right place—must adapt to contexts from Kenya’s highlands to Senegal’s drylands, ensuring practices are both scalable and sustainable.
Africa’s soil revolution is a strategic imperative. Continuous commitment to restoring degraded soils could vastly boost yields, shifting Africa from food importer to agricultural leader. Each dollar invested in soil health is estimated to yield $10 in economic returns via nutrition, jobs, and environmental benefits. By blending innovation with tradition, and global expertise with local leadership, we can cultivate thriving ecosystems alongside prosperous communities.
AGRA and its partners are poised to advance this vision, but success demands unity. Governments, businesses, NGOs, and farmers must all rally around this movement, recognizing soil health as the core of Africa’s green growth. Just as sunlight fuels solar panels, healthy soils energize societies. Let us harness this renewable force to forge a resilient, nourished, healthy and equitable future for Africa and the world.
Dr Asseta is a Senior Program Officer, Soil Fertility and Fertilizer Systems at AGRA
