Fertilisers, the much-needed boost to crops

ABSTRACT

In this article, the IFA Strategic Forum, which was held by the International Fertilizer Association (IFA), facilitated the exchange of ideas among key stakeholders in Africa to develop new partnerships. The event explored how the fertiliser industry and its partners can help in supporting farmers and strengthen food systems to unlock Africa's huge potential to sustainably feed itself and others amid climate change and COVID-19. Improving fertiliser access on the continent was one of the focuses of the forum, which looked ahead to the crucial second Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit planned for 2023. The Africa Fertilizer Map is the first-ever visualisation tool that contains the continent's fertiliser data provided by different associations - primarily AfricanFertilizer.org (AFO) and the International Fertilizer Association (IFA) - and inputs from others, the African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI), International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), African Union (AUC), and Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). As an alternative, in Kenya, farmers are looking at an organic fertiliser Bokashi, which is restoring depleted soils. It is made by fermenting organic material to quickly create a nutrient-rich compost.