#SIA 2025 - Round table "From fertilization to soil fertility: a key challenge for soil health and food sovereignty in West Africa"
The FARM Foundation, in collaboration with the French Development Agency (AFD) and CIRAD, organized a round table on February 26, 2025, at the Paris International Agricultural Show, entitled "From fertilization to soil fertility: a key challenge for soil health and food sovereignty in West Africa."
This event is part of the ongoing study conducted by the FARM Foundation, in partnership with the AFD, on the renewal of soil fertility in West Africa.
Speakers:
Rachid MOUSSADEK, Principal Researcher at INRA / ICARDA Morocco.
Jean Paul LACLAU, Scientific Director of CIRAD, France.
Moctar NDIAYE, Director of Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock of Senegal.
Abdoul Fattath TAPSOBA, Project manager at the FARM Foundation and doctoral student at CERDI.
Sandra RUILLIERE, Deputy Head of the Agriculture, Rural Development and Biodiversity Division at the French Development Agency (AFD)
Hosted by Thibaut SOYEZ, Project Manager at the FARM Foundation.
Replay of the round table:
Following the presentation of the results of the study: "Challenges of Soil Fertility Renewal in West Africa" carried out by the FARM Foundation, the discussion explored the place of soil health in the "one health" approach., by structuring itself around three axes:
* The importance of agroecological practices to improve the health of soils and societies;
* The central role of organic matter in soil fertility, with a focus on the challenges related to its accessibility, storage and transport;
* Public policies of West African countries in terms of soil management, in relation to the Abuja and Nairobi declarations.
Rachid MOUSSADEK (INRA / ICARDA) : " There is a sense of urgency to act: innovations must be transmitted more effectively to producers. All stakeholders, whether private, public, or NGO, must be involved in this process. Africa has not yet experienced its green revolution, but efforts are underway to simultaneously improve the agricultural situation and soil health. It is necessary to intensify production in an ecological and sustainable manner. The objective is to move from niche agroecology to mass agroecology.
Jean Paul LACLAU (CIRAD) : “Agroecology does not exclude the use of fertilizers. We must remember the importance of the principle of nutrient balances and the need to balance inputs to avoid soil depletion. The Nairobi Declaration is a good example of this, prioritizing soil health and ecological processes, while integrating organic fertilization and, if necessary, mineral fertilizer supplements.”
Moctar NDIAYE (Senegalese Ministry of Agriculture): “ The lack of synergies between the different actors constitutes a major obstacle to the scaling up of agroecological practices. We must rediscover collaboration between research, public services and producers. A national agroecological and organic platform has existed for more than 10 years within the Senegalese Ministry of Agriculture. (…) To promote an approach One Health, the ministries of agriculture and livestock merged a year ago in Senegal. (…) 7 % of Senegal's budget is dedicated to the "agricultural program" which subsidizes access to fertilizers (organic and mineral), biostimulants and seeds. 10% of the budget for this program is intended for subsidies for organic fertilizers.
Abdoul Fattah TAPSOBA (FARM): “The effectiveness of fertilizer subsidies in sub-Saharan Africa is often criticized, particularly with regard to traceability, transparency, implementation, and environmental aspects. Despite these criticisms, the importance of these subsidies and the need to improve their traceability must be emphasized. As shown by FARM’s Observatory of Public Support for Agriculture (https://fondation-farm.org/observatoire/accueil/), the share of this support devoted to producers remains too low. Spending is concentrated on rural services that are necessary but indirectly contribute to improving farmers’ production capacities and incomes. Senegal is a good example of commitment in this direction. However, there remains a need to redirect agricultural support in a more efficient and sustainable manner, while strengthening technical assistance to farmers, yet less than 2% of support is devoted to this today.”
