This side event will be an important moment to address and chart the way forward for Africa’s soil health and fertilizer needs. Declining soil health is a major challenge for the continent, and greatly affects its agricultural productivity. In the face of climate change, degraded soils (rampant soil erosion, salinization, acidification, declined fertility), global supply chain disruptions, and a growing population that needs to be food secure, addressing these soil health challenges is a key priority in Africa’s Food Systems transformation. This event will bring together actors in soil health and fertilizer to share their experiences and highlight what is working for the continent and provide practical solutions and recommendations around proven technologies for soil fertility management, acid soils management, landscape management, as well as those related to building the resilience of stakeholders and facilitating access to financial solutions. The outcomes of the event will be shared to the African Union’s Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit to be held in October and beyond the summit, to inform the implementation of the 10-years action plan.
Africa’s Food Systems Forum (AFSF) comes at a critical time, just ahead of the African Union Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit to be held in October. It will contribute to stakeholder sensitization and mobilization. The AFSH seeks to build a more dynamic African fertilizer market that addresses the primary soil health constraints on the continent. The AFSH will provide guidance on actions to ensure integrated soil fertility maintenance.
Objectives
Highlight and provide evidence-based information, data for key soil health and fertilizer priority areas including climate Change mitigation and provide practical solutions and recommendations which could contribute to the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit and the implementation of the 10-year action plan.
Foster collaboration, partnerships, and information sharing/exchange for a more holistic, coordinated, coherent, and synergistic response to address Africa’s soil health challenges.
Call for urgent action to scale proven technologies for soil health and resilience practices globally, with action on policy, supporting Governments, financial investment, implementation, and monitoring.
Address innovative fertilizer and soil health financing mechanisms including the role of trade credit guarantee mechanisms and fertilizer subsidies.
Contributing to the stakeholders’ sensitization to support governments to mobilize the resources and capacity they need to act as catalysts for the implementation of Africa’s Fertilizer and Soil Health Goals on the continent.
Thematic discussions
Theme 1: Promoting Indigenous Crops for Increased Soil and Human Health and Climate Change Resiliency – led by Alliance for African Partnership (AAP)
Theme 2: Building Healthy Soil Ecosystems – led by CIFOR-ICRAF
Theme 3: Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) – led by CGIAR and GIZ
Theme 4: Defining Africa’s Fertilizer and Soil Health Vision/Rehabilitating acid soils for food security – led by AGRA, CIMMYT
Theme 5: Innovative Fertilizer Financing Solutions – led by AFAP
Speakers:
Moderator
Mr. Michael Sudarkasa, CEO, AFAP
Keynote/Firestarter Presentations
Hon. Hussein Mohamed Bashe, Minister of Agriculture, Tanzania - to be invited by AGRA (Jennifer)
DG - Dr. Mkamilo, TARI – Backup – to be invited by AGRA (Jennifer/Asseta)
Framing Panel
Dr. Tilahun Amede, Head of Resilience, Climate and Soil Fertility, AGRA – confirmed
Ms. Mwatima Juma, Chairperson, Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement (TOAM) – to be invited by IITA (Barbra)
Professor Sieg Snapp, Director of Sustainable Agrifood Systems Program, CIMMYT – to be invited by AGRA (Tilahun)
Mr. Geoffrey Kirenga, CEO, SAGCOT (Tanzania) – to be invited by AGRA (Asseta)
Mr. Jason Scarpone, Director, Sustainability, International Raw Materials – to be invited by AFAP (Michael)