In a move to combat the escalating food crisis exacerbated by the relentless impacts of climate change, seventeen nations in West Africa and the Sahel signed the "Lomé Declaration on Fertilizers and Soil Health." The agreement has been called a beacon of hope by some, as it looks to revolutionise the accessibility and affordability of soil fertilisers in the region.
Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé, the host of the gathering, emphasised the importance of a "community vision" in addressing the food needs of approximately 500 million people in West Africa. He said the necessity of achieving a balanced and effective strategy, while highlighting the significance of organisation and coordination. "Without vision, without strategy, fertilisers can quickly turn from a promise of soil restoration to the cause of deterioration," he said.
"As we need to find a proper balance, planning, and state involvement are essential. I, therefore, support a regional approach. As exemplified by the roadmap presented today, our vision should primarily be sub-regional."
Food security crisis
West Africa and the Sahel, which rely heavily on imports, are confronting a significant food crisis that has been intensified by the impacts of the climate crisis. A recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP), revealed that numerous African countries, including Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, and South Sudan, are among those facing the highest levels of food insecurity.
According to RFI, leaders in West Africa and the Sahel pledged to consider soil health as a "critical pillar of food security" and are committed to tripling fertiliser consumption by 2035 in order to step up agricultural productivity.
Through this agreement, the signatories of the Lomé Declaration recognise the strategic importance of fertiliser as a cross-border product and aim to facilitate its unrestricted circulation. They plan to progressively eliminate customs duties and taxes on fertilisers, including other essential raw materials.
Africa's biggest problem lies in the inadequate local production of fertilisers. The continent faces significant challenges when it comes to meeting its agricultural needs due to a lack of accessible and affordable fertilisers.
The agricultural sector is critical to African economies and accounts for the majority of livelihoods across the continent. Without proper fertilisers, African farmers struggle to enhance soil fertility, resulting in lower crop yields and decreased food security. The heavy dependence on imported fertilisers also exacerbates the issue, as it leads to high costs, limited availability, and susceptibility to international market fluctuations.
The global supply of agricultural fertilisers is being significantly affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has the potential to undermine food security worldwide. Russia and Belarus are among the largest suppliers of mineral fertilisers globally. However, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, several countries, including the United States and the European Union (EU), imposed sanctions on Russia. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the shortage of chemical fertilisers, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, is causing an increase in food costs and creating a crisis for economically disadvantaged countries.
In recent years, several African countries have taken the initiative to produce their own fertilisers, recognising the potential benefits for their agricultural sectors. This move has been driven by the desire to enhance food security, increase crop yields, and reduce dependency on imported fertilisers. While the intention behind local fertiliser production is commendable, it is crucial to consider the broader context and the impact of fertilisers on the environment and climate change.
Excessive use of fertilisers can lead to environmental degradation, including soil erosion, water pollution, and loss of biodiversity. The production and application of fertilisers contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating the climate crisis, making it important to strike a balance between the need for agricultural productivity and the imperative to adopt sustainable practices that minimise the reliance on fertilisers, promote organic farming techniques, and prioritise soil health and conservation for the long-term benefit of both African countries and the planet as a whole.
Portia Phohlo, a soil scientist at Trace and Save with expertise and extensive experience in the dairy industry, in an interview with allAfrica explained the challenges of using chemical fertilisers. Phohlo is skilled in sustainable agriculture, natural resource management, agronomy, pasture and soil management, and soil sampling.
She believes farmers that they need to start moving away from conventional systems like tilling their soils and plowing, any form of soil disturbance unnecessarily. "They need to move away from that and start moving towards soil regenerative practices that promote no-tillage of soil and improving root biomass in their soil and planting multi-species of crops or pastures in their systems so that they can build the microorganisms in the soil," she said.
"What attracts microbes is food and food quality and quality of food must come from the different species of plants that you choose to plant in that system. Applying these practices will move you towards a regenerative health system. Once you have a healthy system, then you will end up finding out that you actually don't need to apply any form of fertiliser because the soil becomes self-sustaining as it becomes rich in active microorganisms."
The crisis has left many farmers desperate and actively seeking alternative solutions.
To address this critical problem, farmers such as Muriithi James Kibuku, a small-scale farmer and entrepreneur from Kenya, have adopted a unique approach to rabbit farming. Instead of solely focusing on meat and fur production, Kibuku also recognises the value of rabbit urine. Kibuku explained that rabbit urine possesses numerous benefits, serving both as a fertiliser and a pesticide. Its strong pungent smell acts as a natural repellent, keeping insect pests at bay and functioning as an organic pesticide. It is an environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and cost-effective resource. Kibuku also says urine has the ability to neutralise soil acidity while enhancing its texture, structure, and water retention capacity.
In South Africa, entrepreneur Himkaar Singh saw an opportunity where others saw rubbish by turning organic waste into rich compost using an army of worms. In a bid to help South Africa deal with its impending organic waste crisis, his company, the Compost Kitchen, collects organic kitchen waste to create vermicompost. Using this process keeps waste from polluting the environment or contaminating valuable water sources by avoiding landfills. Vermicomposting or vermiculture, also known as worm composting, is the process of using earthworms to break down organic material, such as vegetable and fruit peels, and producing a high-quality fertiliser.
Agroforesty
In countries like Malawi, agroforestry is embraced as a farming practice that combines the cultivation of trees, shrubs, herbs, and vegetables in a manner that imitates a forest ecosystem.
This approach serves multiple purposes, including the sequestration of carbon to mitigate climate change, the provision of sustenance for people, and the preservation of biodiversity. The presence of trees in agroforestry systems stabilises the soil through their extensive root systems, effectively reducing erosion. Leaves and pruned branches from the trees act as natural mulch, minimising soil runoff and erosion while gradually decomposing to enrich the soil with organic matter. This restoration of the landscape's productivity enhances the sustainability of agricultural practices.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
By adopting this climate-smart farming system, Malawi and other nations contribute significantly to safeguarding the global food supply amidst the challenges posed by a rapidly changing climate. Agroforestry not only promotes food diversity but also enhances the income potential of farmers, ensuring their economic stability and overall food security.
This way of farming integrates traditional knowledge, scientific advancements, and natural processes to establish sustainable agricultural practices. Agroecology emphasises cultivating a diverse array of crops suitable for the local climate and soil conditions, in contrast to industrial methods that prioritise the mass production of a single crop for exportation. By avoiding reliance on fossil fuel-based pesticides, chemical fertilisers, and other industrial techniques that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, soil degradation and biodiversity loss, agroecology supports climate action while enabling farmers to provide for their communities and safeguard their livelihoods, writes Sena Alouka for African Arguments. This localised approach to food production fosters resilience, allowing communities actively work for greater more self-reliance and be better equipped to withstand global disruptions.
By bolstering local decentralised production, African nations can enhance agricultural productivity, reduce dependency on imports, and pave the way for sustainable food production systems and improving livelihoods across the continent.
