Highlights:

The 4 priority areas of the draft ten-year Action Plan for Fertilizers and Soil Health in Africa are:

1. Strengthening sectoral policies and the policy and regulatory framework to promote investment and strengthen the fertilizer sector market.

2. Improving access to organic and mineral fertilizers by increasing domestic production and distribution, improving infrastructure, supporting research in organic and mineral fertilizers, and strengthening intra-regional trade in fertilizers.

3. Improved efficiency and more sustainable use of organic and mineral fertilizers through the implementation of appropriate practices in crop farming, fertilizer use and sustainable soil management to ensure greater resilience and improved soil health.

4. Institutional strengthening and human capacity building for sustainable fertilizer management and soil health through the promotion of local fertilizer use and soil health technologies, the establishment of soil testing services, and the creation of regional knowledge exchange networks.

The 7 commitments of the draft Declaration for the Africa Action Plan:

1. Triple domestic production and distribution of organic and mineral fertilizers.

2. Make targeted agronomic recommendations for specific crops, soils and climatic conditions available to at least 70 per cent of smallholder farmers on the continent to ensure greater efficiency and sustainable use of fertilizers.

3. Reverse land degradation and restore soil health on at least 30 per cent of degraded land.

4. Make the African Fertilizer Finance Mechanism (AFFM) fully operational to improve the production, procurement and distribution of organic and mineral fertilizers and soil health interventions.

5. Formulate and implement policies and regulations to create an enabling environment for fertilizer and soil health interventions.

6. Develop and promote systemic strengthening of national capacities in fertilizer management, soil health management practices and technologies adapted to the local context.

7. Ensure that at least 70 per cent of smallholder farmers have access to quality fertilizer and soil health extension and advisory services, from both public and private extension systems.

The 12 priority actions of the Roadmap for West Africa and the Sahel:

Priority action 1: Improve access to market information on agricultural inputs

Priority action 2: Strengthen and complete the regional regulatory framework on fertilizer quality control

Priority action 3: Improve the effectiveness of fertilizer subsidy programs in all countries concerned

Priority action 4: Revise the tax and customs policies on fertilizers and the building blocks among ECOWAS countries

Priority action 5: Increase local production of mineral and organic fertilizers

Priority action 6: Facilitate and encourage subregional trade in fertilizers

Priority action 7: Capacity building and extension of the network of distributors of agricultural inputs

Priority action 8: Stimulate demand and enhance fertilizer use by farmers

Priority action 9: Strengthen soil health monitoring in West Africa

Priority action 10: Strengthen the capacity of research bodies to improve soil fertility and soil health in the region

Priority action 11: Strengthen human and operational capacities of extension services

Priority action 12: Raise awareness among policy makers and other stakeholders about the importance of fertilizers and soil health