Nairobi — Kenya is among several African countries which will benefit from a multi-million shilling programme aimed at restoring soil fertility.

The $180 million five-year programme by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) will involve working with 4.1 million farmers to re-generate 6.3 million hectares of farmland through a balanced approach to improved soil management.

Experts have identified depleted soils in sub-Saharan Africa as a major cause of poverty and hunger in the region.

Initial funding for the ambitious programme comes from a $164.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and US$15 million from the Rockefeller Foundation.

AGRA president Dr Namanga Ngongi said: "(AGRA's soil health programme) will improve the sustainability of small-scale farms, raise the yield and income of poor farmers, and help protect the natural resource base of soil and water."

According to a statement, the soil health programme is one part of a comprehensive approach that addresses issues from seeds and water to markets, agricultural education and policy.

Assessing resources

The soil fertility strategy involves assessing local soil and water resources and considering how organic matter, fertilisers, farmer cropping systems, and farmer knowledge can work in concert to create highly productive and environmentally sustainable approaches to soil revitalization.

"Africa's agro-ecologies are diverse and farmers' practices differ widely across regions. No one size can fit all. We will work with farmers and researchers to develop locally-adaptable soil fertility interventions," AGRA vice-president (policy and partnerships) Dr Akin Adesina said.