African leaders keen to restore the continent’s soil health

African heads of state have endorsed the Nairobi Declaration on Fertiliser and Soil Health, pledging to prioritise domestic fertiliser production and triple it in the next 10 years to boost agricultural production on the continent.The just-concluded summit, which ran from 7 to 9 May under the theme &#039;Listen to the Land’, positions Africa’s land and soil as the lead determinants of all its agricultural endeavours.The summit evaluated the state of Africa’s soil health while reviewing progress made since the 2006 Abuja Declaration, which aimed to boost fertiliser use for agricultural growth.Promote local production Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba said the country is ready to play its part to contribute to food security on the continent.Mbumba said while imports of fertilisers onto the continent are welcome, local production should be promoted and supported. He said addressing food demand is a pressing issue in the African context. He also used the platform to invite potential investors to explore opportunities in ammonia and fertiliser production in Namibia and elsewhere across the continent.Kenyan president William Ruto said Africa still remains heavily reliant on food imports, highlighting the limited progress achieved after the Abuja Declaration.Ruto said their focus as heads of state should not only be on increasing fertiliser usage but also ensuring its judicious application to revitalise responsive soils and rehabilitate degraded ones. “We need sustainable strategies to make fertilisers more affordable and accessible. Enhancing last-mile logistics for fertiliser distribution is equally critical. Moreover, building farmers&#039; capacities for effective fertiliser use and soil health improvement is imperative,” he said.Nairobi DeclarationThe declaration read in part that the heads of state commit to tripling domestic production and distribution of specialised-quality organic and inorganic fertilisers by 2034 to improve access and affordability for smallholder farmers.This, members said, can be actualised through prioritising local production and blending of mineral fertilisers using locally accessible raw materials.The leaders also committed to supporting research and development on the utilisation of organic and inorganic fertilisers.Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Moussa Faki Mahamat, said Africa is experiencing accelerated soil degradation, including through desertification and floods. Mahamat said the current pace of soil degradation in Africa has attained a threshold that requires proactive attention and action from all to halt the degradation and commence effective soil health management. “Africa is experiencing accelerated soil degradation in many ways, including through desertification and extreme weather events like floods, as we are currently seeing in Kenya, Tanzania and across East Africa. Climate change is contributing immensely to reduced agricultural productivity in Africa,” he said.Mahamat said the AUC is committed to addressing the issues of soil health in all African countries. This determination, he said, is what led them to develop the Soil Initiative for Africa (SIA) and the Africa Fertiliser and Soil Health Action Plan. While the soil initiative for Africa is a long-term framework aligned with our Agenda 2063, the action plan is a 10-year implementation plan.Recognise climate changePresident Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia said there is an urgent need for African presidents to pay attention to the effects of climate change, even as the continent focuses on soil health and fertiliser.Zimbabwe president Emmerson Mnangagwa said there is a need to deliberately support and increase investment in agricultural initiatives by women and youth.The heads committed to fully operationalising the Africa Fertiliser Financing Mechanism (AFFM) to improve the production, procurement and distribution of organic and inorganic fertilisers and soil health interventions.– tuyeimo@namibiansun.com

African leaders keen to restore the continent’s soil health

Comments

Namibian Sun 2024-11-15

Please login to leave a comment

African leaders keen to restore the continent’s soil health

Comments

Namibian Sun 2024-11-15

Please login to leave a comment

Login