Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit - Improving Soil Quality and Food Security

The Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit, held in Nairobi in May 2024, aimed to address soil health and food security challenges by incentivizing fertilizer use over the next decade. Key political outcomes include a 10-year action plan, a financing mechanism, and the endorsement of the Soil Initiative for Africa. The summit declaration calls for tripling the production and distribution of certified organic and inorganic fertilizers to enhance access and affordability for smallholder farmers, combating land degradation, and restoring at least 30% of degraded soil. (News #1 & #5 & #3 & #4, Publication #1)

The summit also featured a debate on the use of mineral (chemical) fertilizers versus organic alternatives. The Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) expressed concerns about the strong emphasis on extensive mineral fertilizer use, hybrid seeds, and agrochemicals in the 10-year Action Plan. AFSA advocates for a shift to agroecology, which integrates local knowledge with scientific innovation to restore biodiversity and build resilient food systems. (News #1 & #2). For IFPRI, the 10-year Action Plan should focus more on gender aspects and five steps to increase women’s contribution to soil health are recommended. (News #6) 

The knowledge review published ahead of the Summit by the Knowledge Centre for Global Food and Nutrition Policy highlights that an integrated approach to fertility, based on agroecological and regenerative farming practices together with a better management of mineral fertilisers –guided by the 4R principles- is essential to create and sustain healthy and productive soils. (Publication #2)

Publication #3 outlines the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) Research, which aims to promote the use of local “opportunity crops” and improved soil health practices in developing countries. Boosting the production and consumption of underutilized indigenous and traditional crops could contribute to healthier diets, climate-resilient agricultural systems, and equitable distribution of economic resources to smallholder farmers. 

Ensuring equitable access to agricultural land 

Land tenure is also critical for soil health (News #3), and two reports call for improving equitable access to farmland. The IPES-Food report highlights a two-decade trend of soaring land prices, land grabs, and carbon schemes that are creating a severe 'land squeeze.' It shows that around 20% of large land deals are now being made available for carbon offsets and other forms of ‘green grabbing.’ The report recommends halting green grabs and removing speculative investment from land markets, and supporting collective ownership and innovative financing for farmers’ access to land. (Publication #4) 

The World Bank report states that less than 1% of agricultural land and at most 25% of urban land have an updated title in African countries, with at least 70% of those titles solely in the name of a man, reducing women's entrepreneurship. The report highlights technological opportunities, as well as options for putting in place regulation for use rights management without mandatory conversion to title, as a way forward towards more equitable access to land. (Publication #5)

High return on investment opportunities for transforming the global agri-food system

The World Bank published a report on the first global strategic framework for mitigating the agrifood system's contributions to climate change, outlining opportunities for action in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries. When annual investments in cutting agrifood emissions will need to increase by an estimated 18 times, the report highlights an estimated 16-to-1 return on investment costs. Decreasing consumer demand for emissions-intensive animal-source foods, shifting subsidies for red meat and dairy toward lower-emission food, cutting methane in livestock and rice paddies, stopping the conversion of forests to croplands or pastures are among the key opportunities identified. Using sustainable soil management to store carbon and boost agricultural yields and climate resilience is also presented as a key lever for change. (Publication #6)

IFPRI, in its Global Food Policy report 2024 (Publication #7), recognizes the significant impact of agri-food systems on the environment and climate, and calls for a shift towards healthier diets. IFPRI proposes solutions to promote change in consumer behaviour, make healthy diets more affordable, and improving the availability of healthy and sustainable foods. 

Drawing from case studies in 21 low-income countries, IFPRI highlights the pivotal role of domestic-oriented value chains in fuelling agrifood systems growth. (News #7)

Finally, to achieve SDG2 without breaching the 1.5°C threshold, FAO unveiled at the COP28 a roadmap that identifies 120 actions and key milestones within ten domains, with an emphasis on enhancing agricultural productivity. However, some experts argue that the roadmap lacks sufficient ambition. (Publication #8; News # 8)