BLOGS, ARTICLES AND NEWS
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One Acre Fund Campaign | Closing the climate finance gap for smallholder farmers in Africa
Smallholder farmers across sub-Saharan Africa are already witnessing the devastating impacts of climate breakdown on their soils and crop yields, and by extension their livelihoods and wellbeing.
This issue isn’t unique to sub-Saharan Africa. Across the globe smallholder farmers are contending with ever more erratic temperatures and weather patterns as a result of the climate emergency. In the face of failing harvests and limited income, most smallholders lack the means to build resilience to these climate shocks.
Why is climate finance important?
What's the cost of building climate resilience for smallholder farmers?
Learn more and access campaign assets here
Netherlands Symposium – Future Proofing: Unified Action for Soil Health and Food Security
As a continuation of the organization’s first symposium this year in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the center’s 50th anniversary, the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) hosted a second symposium, “Future Proofing: Unified Action for Soil Health and Food Security,” on November 4 at KIT in Amsterdam.
The event brought together global agriculture experts, policymakers, leaders, and stakeholders to explore pathways for strengthening soil health and enhancing food security amidst a rapidly evolving landscape of environmental and economic challenges, in addition to the challenges of a growing population.
Read the full story and watch the event recordings on the IFDC website
Celebrating the Launch of the Allure of Soil Campaign
On 13 September 2024, the Allure of Soil Campaign was officially launched in Nairobi, Kenya, with sights set on the global stage!
The Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH) was excited to join CIFOR-ICRAF, the African Wildlife Foundation and more in celebrating the official launch of the campaign.
Youth Solutions: Support Daniel Chavo Kisekka’s Climate and Environment Innovation
The IFRC Limitless Innovation Challenge is a chance for youth around the World to showcase their innovations for climate and the environment. Daniel Chavo Kisekka of the #Youth4Soil Initiative has submitted his climate solution Nurtavest to support smallholder farmers in Uganda, and the World over.
We are calling on the CA4SH network to help support him by engaging with his pitch video, which could place him in the top 100 innovations!
CA4SH at AFS Forum 2024: The future of food systems lies beneath our feet
2-6 SEPTEMBER 2024: More than 3000 people from around the world attended the Africa Food Systems (AFS) Forum in Kigali, Rwanda to reflect on progress and a way forward for food security on the continent.
Op-ed: Empowering Refugees and the Vital Role of Community-Led Initiatives in Nakivale
Nakivale refugee settlement was established in 1958 and is the 8th largest refugee settlement in the world, located approximately 200 km away from Kampala, Uganda'. It is one of the oldest refugee settlements in Uganda and contains 79 individual villages.
Recently, food distribution has reduced, creating a food shortage worsened by persistent drought and soil exhaustion. Since 2023, the communities’ needs have outpaced available resources.
Mbilizi Kalombo is a young Congolese refugee living in Nakivale Refugee Settlement. He is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of KYETE BIINGI TAI NYEME - a refugee-led, community-based organization seeking to improve the lives of refugees, including by promoting sustainable soil management practices.
Video Blog | Getting your hands dirty! Workshop on soil management by UNEP and ICRAF 🌱
This video blog is from the UNEP YouTube channel
To mark 2024 World Environment Day, the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) brought their lab to the UN complex in Nairobi (UNON) to teach the #generationrestoration the basics of soil management and opportunities for restoration.
The workshop on “The pathway to healthy soil management” hosted 40 students from Aga Khan Academy, Lenana School and Kenya High School. Students got their hands dirty learning about different types of soils, causes of land degradation, best practices and nature-based solutions to soil management.
CA4SH at AFSHS2024: Multistakeholder action for Africa’s soils
From 7-8 May 2024, African leaders and stakeholders came together to reverse soil degradation and map a joint way forward for the continent by putting farmers first.
The Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit (AFSHS) was raised to address changes in the agricultural sector in Africa since the 2006 Abuja Declaration on Fertilizer for the Africa Green Revolution. Since the Abuja Declaration, sustainable soil management has become an increasingly recognized priority for reversing land degradation and contributing to the climate adaptation strategies of African countries.
As active proponents of soil health to address all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, CA4SH participated in and hosted several sessions at the AFSHS to bridge science and policy spaces with examples of concerted action on the ground.
My Story: Mastering Soil and Land Health Evaluation Process
Understanding of African ecosystems; initiative that establishes baseline and monitoring for land degradation assessment and rehabilitation
Story and photo essay by: Anthony Ochieng Onyango and Faith Tuarari
CA4SH Finance Webinar: Investing in soil health from the ground up
From afar, scaling soil health by switching from traditional monocrop agricultural systems to regenerative systems may seem as easy as planting the right plants in the right spot. However transitioning to new systems usually sees farmers’ yields decrease before they increase, which can be a limiting factor for farmers who don’t have a financial cushion to fall back on. Support is needed to help them bridge the gap.
CA4SH is a multi-stakeholder partnership of member states, the private sector, research institutions, civil society, farmer organizations, multilateral organizations, NGOs, and more. Drawing on this wealth of knowledge, we organized the second installation of our 2024 Webinar Series: The road ahead for soil health action to explore different mechanisms to invest in soil health, making sure these investments reach smallholder farmers.
Op-Ed: The Role of Young People in Defending Soil Health
Worldwide, agriculture employs the largest portion of youth (around 60% in Africa, for example), making soil health central to youth empowerment and food security in developing countries where agriculture's contribution to GDP exceeds 20%. Youth can participate in advocacy for soil and land health through political fora, techno-communications, community action, research and more.
Roël D. Houdanon, Founder & Chief Technical Advisor of the Land and Health Association, shares his thoughts on avenues for youth participation and his unique story of moving through advocacy spaces and championing soil health, as well as a case study for youth action on the ground.
Scaling Farmer-Centered Solutions in Africa from the Soil Up
March 14th, Accelerating Nature-based Solutions Conference: In a call to address the pressing issue of soil degradation and its detrimental effects on food systems and livelihoods, a recent event co-hosted by the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH) and CIFOR-ICRAF underscored the urgency for multi-stakeholder action to promote healthy soil ecosystems across Africa. The gathering, which brought together diverse stakeholders from farming communities, science, policy, development, conservation, and the private sector, emphasized the critical role of soil in sustainable and regenerative food systems.
Farmers in East Africa are prioritising climate action in food systems
Scaling innovative solutions, such as regenerative agriculture, has a critical role in facilitating the necessary shift required to address climate change and its effects on fragile food systems.
Farmers in East Africa are making the choice of adopting this approach of agriculture, in combination with new technologies and organic inputs to improve crop yields and replenish soils. This renewed understanding of the interplay between soil health and healthy yields is enabling the transition to sustainable agricultural practices and policy in the region.
CA4SH Policy Webinar: Creating an Enabling Environment for Soil Health Post-COP28
CA4SH is a multi stakeholder partnership of member states, the private sector, research institutions, civil society, farmer organizations, multilateral organizations, NGOs, and more. Drawing on this wealth of knowledge, we organized the first installation of our 2024 Webinar Series: The road ahead for soil health action.
Soils are the cornerstone of good ecosystem functioning: Lessons from Ivory Coast
“Soils are not just a support: they have to be in good health for agricultural activities to be established and prosper. In Ivory Coast, the Ministry of Agriculture has brought together farmers, policymakers and scientists to work on practical operations aimed at guaranteeing the long-term future of soils in the forest landscapes of West Africa. The participants have made a series of recommendations, including controlling deforestation, reducing pesticide use and extending agroforestry.”
Read the full story from CIRAD
Image Caption: Field study on soil health in the Téné Classified Forest, Ivory Coast © CIRAD
Community stewards in Uganda turned their village into a forest
In the small village of Kikandwa, in the Mityana district of Uganda, villagers have transformed their landscape by sheer force of will, a commitment to healthy soils, and by working together to form the Kikandwa Environmental Association (KEA).
Meet Our Members: Sustainable Environment, Ecotourism, and Agricultural Development Organisation (SEEADO)
SEEADO is a non-governmental, non-political and non-profit organization that works to promote a sustainable environment and agriculture, and mainstream ecotourism into conservation for the benefit of people and biodiversity.
Opinion: Restoring soil is vital for farmers facing climate change
With increasing droughts, initiatives to restore soil and manage water resources effectively are a necessity to ensure food security, but the clock is ticking, and they must be accompanied by investments in farmers.
By Aggrey Agumya, Sekai Mudonhi for Devex
Cycle to Farms: The Final Leg of Our Journey Cycling in Tanzania
Aisha and Lukas have been cycling from farm to farm, documenting regenerative farming practices on the ground to realize their goal of publishing a book and documentary to raise awareness. Read their recent blog about their time in Tanzania.
The Vital Role of Local Led Processes, Land Rights in Climate Restoration and Mitigation
By Juliet Tsuma
“On October 11th, 2023, ILC Africa had a side event on the sidelines of the Global Landscape Forum, focusing on safeguarding tenure security in the context of landscape restoration.”
Read the full story from the International Land Coalition