Fertilizer and soil health take center stage in West Africa and the Sahel

15 July 2024

Following the strategic launch of the Fertilizer and Soil Health regional hub for West Africa and the Sahel, a two-day technical launch workshop continued in IITA-CGIAR on 27-28 June. The workshop had representatives from the partner organizations constituting the Fertilizer and Soil Health Consortium make presentations on their roles and proposed deliverables in the hub.

The IITA-CGIAR Director General, Simeon Ehui, welcomed the Liberia Minister of Agriculture, His Excellency Dr Alexander Nuetah, and all participants present from different nationalities, expressing his heartfelt gratitude to all for their commitment to advancing African agriculture in the fertilizer and soil health space. Ehui said, "The Hub we inaugurated yesterday is a testament that we remain committed to transforming African smallholder agriculture. The hub's mission is to facilitate the delivery of agronomic gain and advocate for soil health policies that will change the landscape of fertilizer use and soil yields in the West Africa and Sahel regions."

The technical partners-IITA, IFDC, APNI, OCP Africa, UM6P, and EiA-highlighted their roles in the fertilizer and soil health deliverables. Furthermore, the opportunities to harness from different nations and organizations were established. Bundling services and advocacy, extension certification and services, farmer-led experimentation, human capacity development, digital soil mapping, data management, and agronomic gain monitoring are vital constituent deliverables the Fertilizer and Soil Health Consortium will deliver to West Africa and the Sahel through the project implementation phases.

IITA Deputy Director General, Research for Development (DDG-R4D), Bernard Vanlauwe, said: "For nations in Africa and the Sahel to improve long-term soil health and fertility for enhanced yield and profitability, a coalition of strategic efforts and formidable partners are required. People need to know that soil is not only the dark matter that dirties your shoes. Soil, fertilizer, and soil health hold huge potential to contribute to the sustainable transformation of African smallholder agriculture for food security, poverty alleviation, and sustainable development."

To adeq

uately feed the growing African population and overcome food challenges, which are mostly linked to the viability of the soil, the Fertilizer and Soil Health Hub for West Africa and the Sahel will facilitate the movement and scaling of fertilizer and soil health innovations and the delivery of agronomic gain to African farmers. These gains are conceptualized around improved yields, resource use efficiency, climate adaptation, and soil health, aptly driven by partners at all levels-national, regional, associate, technical, and financial partners.

Contributing by Folake Oduntan