African Union convenes AFSH Summit in Nairobi

In an attempt to address the growing food security challenges, the African Union (AU) convened the Africa Fertiliser and Soil Health (AFSH) summit in Nairobi in May this year

Going by the theme, ‘Listen to the land,’ the summit brought together a wide range of stakeholders with the objective of improving soil health and agricultural productivity across Africa. 

Degradation of cultivated land results in nutrient loss, in turn reducing soil quality. Due to its inability to respond well to yield-boosting inputs, compromised soil health is detrimental to small-scale farmers and rural communities, especially during climate shocks.

To address this challenge, the European Union (EU), in collaboration with DeSIRA Lift and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), convened three events during the Summit that explored crucial solutions including integrated soil health management and the use of organic and bio-fertilisers. 

The primary goal of these events was to inform national leaders and catalyse policy and institutional reforms that favor the adoption of these sustainable solutions.