Reflections from a scoping study in 12 African countries
16th April 11:30 CEST Onsite & Online
Maintaining soil fertility is fundamental for ensuring the productivity and resilience of agricultural systems. African farmers face challenges to manage soil health due to the fragility of the majority of African soils, inadequate agricultural practices, and low fertilizer use. High fertilizer import prices and limited access to inorganic fertilizers aggravate the situation.
Several studies have indicated that soil organic matter content and nutrients balance can be improved at farm level through proper agronomic practices in mixed farming systems. However, fertilizers are still needed to improve productivity. Off-farm production of safe and affordable organic fertilizers and biofertilizers could provide another pathway for soil health and productivity improvement in Africa. However, a lack of information and knowledge exists regarding the production, marketing, and utilization of commercial organic and biofertilizers. In fact, many relevant initiatives exist involving various actors such as Farmers' Organizations, NGOs, and SMEs.
With a view to inform policy dialogue addressing the fertilizer crisis and food security challenges, DG INTPA, through DeSIRA-LIFT, commissioned a scoping study on the off-farm production and marketing of organic and biofertilizers in 12 case-study countries in Africa. The study address the use and acceptance of organic and biofertilizers, the potential development of these inputs, the marketing systems, the support services (research and advisory services), the national policies and regulatory framework .
In this conference the results of the scoping study will be shared and two SMEs will share their experiences regarding the potential of commercial organic and biofertilizer production and marketing.
Date
2024-04-16
