Status and challenges of soil health in Africa Bashir Jama AGRA, Ghana Presentation at the ‘Launch of Global Soil Partnership in West and Central Africa’ 4-6 April, 2013 Labadi Beach hotel, Accra, Ghana
Status and challenges of soil
health in Africa
Bashir Jama
AGRA, Ghana
Presentation at the ‘Launch of Global Soil Partnership in
West and Central Africa’
4-6 April, 2013
Labadi Beach hotel, Accra, Ghana
Outline
•Putting the problem into context
•Solution – fertilizer within integrated soil
fertility management practices; associated
challenges
•Opportunities scaling up emerging impacts
through country-level soil health consortia
and related partnership (GSP and others)
2
The Sahelian Drylands Area: 1.2m km2
Population: 38m
Millet & sorghum belt: 23m ha
Predominantly Alfisols and
Arenosols
Humid Forest Zone Area: 5.8m km2
Population: 168m
Cassava belt: 18m ha
Rice potential: 2m ha
Predominantly Oxisols and
Ultisols
Moist Savanna and
Woodland Zones Area: 4.4m km2
Population: 157m
Maize belt: 32m ha
CA potential: 7m ha
Predominantly Alfisols
The diversity of soils and crops in Africa calls for site specific ISFM recommendations
I Increasing fertilizer supplies : starts with
improving ports
Accounts for
15-30% of the
C.I.F costs
7
Beira port, Mozambique
Support local production where feasible, e.g., Minjingu in Tanzania
Blends: 60,000 to 90,000 MT p.a. Opened outlets in Kenya in 2010 AFAP now improving access to financing
Awareness creation and training farmers
on fertilizer use is essential
Source: AGRA database (2012)
Fertilizer use closes maize yield across countries
Increase agrodealer networks
• Over 14,000 trained
by AGRA and
partners
• Distance reduced to
< 2km in some
regions
• Providing extension
and advisory
services
11
Improve access to financing – major challenge
• Link agro-dealers and
smallholder farmers to
financial institutions
• Develop attractive credit
guarantee schemes with
financial institutions
• Improve access to markets
for produce
15
No. of farmers using ISFM tech are increasing
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
2008 (startof SHP)
2009(baseline)
2010 2011 2012
No
. of
farm
ers
Mig
liaia
Years
Country–level Soil Health Consortia
established in 12 country
• Leverage resources
• Keep development
linked closely to
research
• Improve monitoring
process
• Improve information
sharing and capacity
development
• Provide GSP platform
for rapid progress