Urgent action needed amid rising fertiliser prices
The increasing cost of fertiliser is weighing heavily on farmers in southern Africa, with access becoming a major concern.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Ukraine-Russia conflict, against the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change, has exacerbated the affordability and availability of fertilisers for vulnerable smallholder farmers in Africa. In some countries in the region, fertiliser prices have risen by up to 150%, it said.
The organisation, in collaboration with the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa, therefore convened a regional multi-stakeholder dialogue with government policymakers, industry actors, civil societies and development partners.
They deliberated on a range of remedies - from an emergency response in the short-term to sharing innovations, good practices and viable options to mitigate the impact of fertiliser access on the most vulnerable farmers in Africa in the long-term.
The FAO said although Africa only accounts for 4% of global fertiliser consumption, many sub-Saharan countries also heavily rely on fertiliser supplies from Russia for the production of maize, rice and soybeans.
Smallholder farmers are producers of over 70% of the food consumed in sub-Saharan Africa.
Major contributor
"The FAO is fully aware that fertiliser is not the only requirement for achieving stable and viable production, but rather that it is a major contributor. We are mindful of the need to address the low capacity of our food system, quickly adapting and developing innovative solutions," Patrice Talla, the organisation’s sub-regional coordinator for southern Africa, said.
According to the organisation, some governments have readjusted input subsidy programmes to cushion the most vulnerable farmers.
However, participants at the dialogue session noted that governments working with regional development partners should adopt measures to support smallholder farmers to access fertiliser through repurposing resources towards procurement and distribution, and implement concessions and instruments such as tax exemptions or reduction of duties on fertiliser raw material imports to support local production.
Additionally, harmonising rules governing fertiliser production, trade and quality control in the member states will ensure the supply of quality fertilisers to these markets.
Participants also suggested scaling up viable approaches - such as conservation agriculture - that efficiently use all soil fertility enhancers, including inorganic and organic fertilisers.
FAO, working with partners in the subregion, is currently implementing a programme to support countries in southern Africa to strengthen fertiliser regulatory frameworks to put quality control standards and enforcement mechanisms in place on the continent.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Ukraine-Russia conflict, against the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change, has exacerbated the affordability and availability of fertilisers for vulnerable smallholder farmers in Africa. In some countries in the region, fertiliser prices have risen by up to 150%, it said.
The organisation, in collaboration with the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa, therefore convened a regional multi-stakeholder dialogue with government policymakers, industry actors, civil societies and development partners.
They deliberated on a range of remedies - from an emergency response in the short-term to sharing innovations, good practices and viable options to mitigate the impact of fertiliser access on the most vulnerable farmers in Africa in the long-term.
The FAO said although Africa only accounts for 4% of global fertiliser consumption, many sub-Saharan countries also heavily rely on fertiliser supplies from Russia for the production of maize, rice and soybeans.
Smallholder farmers are producers of over 70% of the food consumed in sub-Saharan Africa.
Major contributor
"The FAO is fully aware that fertiliser is not the only requirement for achieving stable and viable production, but rather that it is a major contributor. We are mindful of the need to address the low capacity of our food system, quickly adapting and developing innovative solutions," Patrice Talla, the organisation’s sub-regional coordinator for southern Africa, said.
According to the organisation, some governments have readjusted input subsidy programmes to cushion the most vulnerable farmers.
However, participants at the dialogue session noted that governments working with regional development partners should adopt measures to support smallholder farmers to access fertiliser through repurposing resources towards procurement and distribution, and implement concessions and instruments such as tax exemptions or reduction of duties on fertiliser raw material imports to support local production.
Additionally, harmonising rules governing fertiliser production, trade and quality control in the member states will ensure the supply of quality fertilisers to these markets.
Participants also suggested scaling up viable approaches - such as conservation agriculture - that efficiently use all soil fertility enhancers, including inorganic and organic fertilisers.
FAO, working with partners in the subregion, is currently implementing a programme to support countries in southern Africa to strengthen fertiliser regulatory frameworks to put quality control standards and enforcement mechanisms in place on the continent.
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