NAIROBI, Might 09 (IPS) – Because the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Well being Summit convened in Nairobi to overview the progress made by way of growing fertilizer use consistent with the 2006 Abuja Declaration, consultants, practitioners, activists, and even authorities officers identified that accelerated fertilizer use might not be the magic bullet for elevated meals manufacturing in Africa.
Through the opening ceremony of the summit, Kenya’s Prime Cupboard Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, who was additionally the visitor of honor, mentioned that in Kenya, there are locations the place fertilizer has been used optimally, however maize yields have stagnated.
“Although fertilizers are estimated to contribute greater than 30 p.c of the crop yield, we’ve got witnessed in our nation that fertilizer alone can not maintain elevated agricultural productiveness and manufacturing,” he mentioned.
Research have additionally proven that using nitrogen-based fertilizers has had a big influence on soil acidity in lots of African nations, which is a serious constraint on crop manufacturing and the sustainable intensification of smallholder farming techniques.
In response to an ongoing analysis undertaking generally known as Guiding Acid Soil Management Investments in Africa (GAIA), 15 p.c of all agricultural soils in Africa are affected by acidity points and this has led to land degradation, decreased availability of soil vitamins to crops, and decreased plant manufacturing and water use.
In response to Dr George Oduor, a soil scientist and worldwide analysis guide, African farmers ought to now take into account or scale up using the Built-in Soil Fertility Administration (ISFM) strategy with a deal with return on funding and take into account using lime on acidic soils.
“There’s a want for governments in Africa to develop regionally responsive instruments that may advise farmers on the way to mix totally different natural and inorganic fertilizers, how and when to intercrop with legumes for nitrogen fixation, and what crops to prioritize in several agroecological zones,” mentioned Oduor in an interview with IPS.
Nonetheless, some activists really feel that there’s a want for an entire shift from artificial fertilizers to natural strategies of farming akin to agroecology, the regenerative agriculture (RA) strategy, and permaculture, amongst different sustainable farming methods.
“The heavy monetary burden positioned on African nations to help the acquisition of high-priced, imported fertilizers drains native economies and diverts funds from extra sustainable native agricultural investments,” mentioned Bridget Mugambe, the Programme Coordinator on the Alliance for Meals Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA).
She known as on governments and policymakers on the summit and throughout Africa to acknowledge the large potential of agroecology to sustainably enhance meals safety and meals sovereignty, in order to cut back poverty and starvation whereas conserving biodiversity and respecting indigenous data.
To this point, Kenya is among the African nations that’s within the means of growing insurance policies for agroecology. The nation additionally launched the Nationwide Agriculture Soil Administration Coverage (NASMP) alongside the Nairobi AFSH summit. The coverage will assist facilitate the restoration and upkeep of agricultural soils with a purpose to enhance productiveness, enhance meals safety, and contribute to poverty discount whereas conserving soil and water assets for future generations.
Inside the native governments, Murang’a County in Central Kenya was the primary to develop the authorized framework for agroecology, via which the federal government can simply allocate assets for natural fertilizer and pesticide manufacturing.
“The primary motive why we needed to pioneer in that is that our area is extremely impacted by local weather change, and subsequently agroecology grew to become a precedence as a manner of adapting to the phenomenon,” mentioned Daniel Gitahi, the Director for Agriculture Worth Chains, Coverage, and Technique.
“The second motive is that, as a county authorities, we noticed that our yields have been happening regardless of optimum use of fertilizers, and after analysis, we found that our soils had turn into extra acidic as a consequence of overuse of nitrogen based mostly fertilizers,” he mentioned.
Different options showcased on the summit embrace using ‘bokashi’ fermented natural fertilizer, which has transitioned from small-scale manufacturing to a business scale in a couple of African nations.
“I’ve been in a position to remodel my tea plantation utilizing bokashi; as nicely, I now not use fertilizers on my maize farm in West Pokot County, and but my yields have virtually doubled,” mentioned Esther Bett, the Government Director on the Assets Oriented Improvement Initiative (RODI Kenya).
RODI Kenya is already packaging and promoting bokashi fertilizers via agrovet outlets throughout the nation, and has the capability to provide as much as 10 tonnes monthly.
Allan Ligare from Mzuri Organics in Kakamega County, working in collaboration with the Worldwide Centre for Insect Ecology (ICIPE), introduced alongside natural fertilizer made utilizing black soldier flies whereas within the course of of creating animal feeds. “This fertilizer accommodates all of the vital vitamins; it provides natural matter to the soil; and it helps within the retention of soil moisture,” he mentioned.
A 2022 study revealed within the Nature scientific journal discovered that insect frass fertilizers made out of all of the insect species had enough concentrations and contents of macronutrients, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (Okay)], secondary vitamins (calcium, magnesium, and sulphur), and micronutrients (manganese, copper, iron, zinc, boron, and sodium).
The primary goal of the 2024 AFSH Summit is to spotlight the central function of soil well being transformation in stimulating sustainable, pro-poor productiveness development in African agriculture and meals techniques and to undertake the 10-year Africa Fertilizer and Soil Well being Motion Plan.
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service