Background Information
The Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit will be held to deliberate on Africa’s recent widespread decades-long decline in soil quality of farmland - a phenomenon that continues today and negatively impacts the agricultural production capacity and food security in the continent. In June 2006, the Heads of State and Governments of the African Union endorsed the Abuja Declaration on Fertilizer for the Africa Green Revolution, a continental strategy to reverse the worrying trend of poor productivity of the African soils. The Declaration focused on key targets required for agricultural growth, food security, and rural development in Africa, with a focus on the role of fertilizers. It recommended raising the use of fertilizers from 8 kg/(nutrients)/ha to 50 kg (nutrients) /ha in 10 years and the establishment of an African Fertilizer Financing Mechanism (AFFM) to improve agricultural productivity by providing financing required to boost fertilizer use in Africa to achieve the target of 50 kg of nutrients per hectare, as mandated by the Abuja Declaration.
Fifteen years after the Abuja Declaration, Africa’s agriculture and food security narrative has evolved significantly. The fertilizer market itself has changed, including the roles that private and public sector actors are playing. Another major change since Abuja, is the increased recognition of the critical role of sustainable soil management. The decline in soil health has hindered the efficiency of fertilizer use and hampered agricultural productivity growth, food security, and environmental sustainability across the continent. As a result, economic growth and well-being—particularly for the rural population, who derive their livelihoods directly from agriculture – in the continent have been hampered. It is therefore, timely to review the state of Africa’s soil health to recalibrate the strategies being deployed for boosting the productivity of soils towards higher and sustainable gains in crop yields as well as economic growth and transformation, and overall well-being.
Objectives of the Conference
The Objective of the Summit is 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.
Expected Outcomes
It is expected that a 10-year Action Plan, to be endorsed, which will deliver concrete recommendations for steps to be taken by African leaders and stakeholders over the next 10 years. The Action Plan will provide a focus for new policies and investments that will enable farmers to work toward re-building soil health and ultimately increase yield responses and profitability of fertilizers. It is also expected that the Action Plan will be endorsed by leading private and public sector partners across all African countries, with the following:
Nairobi Declaration
10-year Action Plan
Soil Initiative for Africa (SIA)
Mechanism to finance the Action Plan (post-Summit implementation process).
Where to Find CA4SH
Day 1: 7 May
What can Business and Industry do to help Implement the 10-Year Action Plan?
Organizer: AFAP, IFA
Where: Aberdare Hall, Lower Ground Floor
When: 12:30-13:30 EAT
Partnering for a Pan-African Soil Information System
Organizer: YARA, VARDA, CIFOR-ICRAF
Where: Lawns, Tent 2
When: 14:00 - 15:30 EAT
Country plans for integrating the AFSH Action Plan into climate and food security policy frameworks
Organizer: AfCAP
Where: Tent 9, Upper Comesa
When: 14:00 - 15:30 EAT
Leveraging Policy, Practice and Research for Monitoring Soil Health
Organizer: AUDA-NEPAD, AICCRA, EAFF, CIFOR-ICRAF, CA4SH
Where: Lawns, Tent 2
When: 17:00-18:30 EAT
Day 2: 8 May
Demystifying Soil Health in Africa
Organizer: African Union
Where: Lawns, Tent 3
When: 11:30 - 12:30 EAT
Digging Deeper: Advancements in Soil Health Monitoring for Sustainable Food Systems and Climate Resilience
Organizer: CA4SH, IFDC
Where: Upper Comesa, Tent 8
When: 14:00-15:30 EAT
Operationalizing the Fertilizer and Soil Health Framework at National Level: Multistakeholder Collaboration for Results at Scale
Organizer: CRS
Where: Tent 8, Upper Comesa
When: 15:30-17:00
Soil Matters: Cultivating Change for Africa’s Food Systems Transformation through Evidence-based Policy and Practice
Organizer: CA4SH, SNV, One Acre Fund, KALRO, AUDA-NEPAD, Farm Radio International, CIFOR-ICRAF, AGRA, EmergingAg
Where: Aberdare Hall, Lower Ground Floor
When: 15:30-17:00 EAT