President Hichilema arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, ahead of the Africa Fertiliser and Soil Health Summit, which is scheduled for 9th May 2024.
This follows the invitation extended His Excellency, Dr. William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya.
The African Union’s Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit (AFSH24) has attracted over 4,000 participants gathering to address the looming soil health crisis on the continent. The event, co-organized by the African Union and the Government of Kenya, aims to tackle critical issues affecting agricultural sustainability and food security across Africa.
Notably, the second edition of the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit has drawn the attention of global leaders, including eight heads of state and government, as well as ministers, scientists, and representatives from civil society and partner organizations. The summit is a pivotal platform for fostering dialogue and cooperation towards enhancing the value of land as a pivotal asset for farmers across the continent.
One of the key objectives of AFSH24 is to evaluate progress made since the 2006 Abuja Declaration, which aimed to elevate fertilizer use for agricultural growth to a minimum threshold, a target that remains largely unmet. With Africa losing over US$4 billion worth of soil nutrients annually, urgent action is needed to address the deteriorating soil health and its implications for food security.
Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries of the Republic of Uganda and Chair of the AU Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment, highlighted the challenges faced in increasing fertilizer uptake and the unpredictable yield gains in rainfed agriculture.
Conversations at AFSH24 are centered on adopting a holistic approach to agricultural sustainability, prioritizing climate change mitigation, land restoration, and biodiversity conservation in agricultural practices. H.E. Amb. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment at the African Union Commission (AUC), emphasized the need for collaborative action and innovative solutions to address Africa’s soil health crisis.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Hon. Mithika Linturi, expressed optimism that the summit would lead to transformative decisions to drive immediate action in improving Africa’s soil health for food security and economic growth.
Under the theme “Listen to the Land,” AFSH24 seeks to evaluate the state of Africa’s soil health and review progress made since previous commitments to boost fertilizer use. The summit aims to draft the Nairobi Declaration on Fertilizer and Soil Health, endorsing commitments, strategies, and actionable directions to enhance sustainability in fertilizer use and soil health practices.
With a 10-year Action Plan and mechanisms for financing, the summit aims to triple local production of organic and inorganic fertilizers by 2033. The event represents a significant milestone in Africa’s quest to unlock its agricultural potential and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
Thanks for this. Power in Mtendere/PHI is supposed to go at 12hrs today Thursday as per ZESCO loadshedding schedule, it is now 10hrs and power is already switched off. ERB please find out and get back to us. What is the issue? Maybe they have employed a new guy who has his own loadshedding schedule
These are the functions and activities that Zambia would benefit from the expertise of broad-minded agriculture science guys like Dr. Edify Hamukale. I hope we shall have cheaper fertilizers out of this trip by HH. Mealie meal including high prices of other essential food items are making life hard almost for everyone in Zambia.
With no substantive minister for external relations
I have only seen one president visiting us but ours is always visiting them. My dad didnt like me visiting the neighbours when their children didnt come to our home. “Ukupula” is degrading he would say so I usually visited only my two friends because they visited me.
Now that’s a very very important summit given the drought and food security challenges facing Zambia.