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Feeding Africa’s soils: Fertilizer policy
(2019) Joseph Rusike; Oumou Camara
Fertilizer production and utilization in Africa are profoundly influenced by governmental policies at both national and regional levels. These policies have extensive ramifications across the fertilizer value chain, including finance availability, pricing, institutional arrangements, infrastructure development, and market dynamics. Despite substantial investments and policy efforts, Africa still faces challenges in achieving agricultural transformation through improved fertilizer use. This chapter explores the significance of policy and regulatory frameworks in shaping fertilizer industries, detailing policy formulation processes and implementation experiences across selected countries in Africa. It highlights the prevalence of subsidies as a key policy tool but also delves into the myriad challenges, including bureaucratic hurdles, financial constraints, market inefficiencies, and regulatory shortcomings. The chapter emphasizes the need for private sector involvement, market competitiveness, and policy reform to address these obstacles and enhance fertilizer accessibility, quality, and affordability for smallholder farmers. Furthermore, it examines the complexities of policy development and implementation, emphasizing the technical and political dimensions involved. The chapter concludes with insights into specific country experiences, offering a comprehensive overview of fertilizer policy landscapes, regulatory mechanisms, and ongoing challenges in Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi.
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Feeding Africa’s soils: Fertilizer subsidies
(2019) Mahamadou Nassirou Ba; Marie Claire Kalihangabo; Joseph Rusike; Oumou Camara
Fertilizer promotion programs in Africa have undergone significant evolution since their inception in the 1970s. Initially characterized by direct government expenditures and interventions to stimulate fertilizer demand and usage, these programs faced challenges of sustainability and effectiveness. Structural adjustment programs in the 1990s led to the discontinuation of many of these programs, only to witness a resurgence following the 2006 Abuja Declaration on Fertilizers. This resurgence saw the implementation of targeted subsidy programs across several African countries, aimed at increasing agricultural productivity. The phases of evolution encompassed top-down government management, liberalization, private sector expansion, and recent shifts towards market-based systems. Today, most sub-Saharan African countries have some form of subsidy program in place, albeit with varying degrees of government involvement and private sector participation. As governments transition towards regulatory roles, the focus is on improving subsidy program design, implementation, and performance. Smart subsidy programs, private sector involvement, investment in supporting infrastructure, and complementary measures are highlighted as key strategies for enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of fertilizer subsidy programs in Africa.
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UDP Technology and Rice Yields Among Farmer Beneficiaries of Rainfed Lowland Project Areas in Myanmar
(2018) D. Kyaw; Grahame Hunter
Since its inception in 2014, the Fertilizer Sector Improvement (FSI) project in Myanmar has introduced urea deep placement (UDP) fertilizer technology, aimed at improving yields and fertilizer use efficiency among rice farmers in its project intervention areas. For this purpose, selected farmers from three major rice-growing regions of Myanmar, located in Yangon, Bago, and Ayeyarwady were given training through effective farm demonstrations and other extension services to promote the use of technology along with other improved inputs. Extensive data were collected among project beneficiaries to determine the effect of UDP technology on yields in comparison to the traditional use of fertilization methods. In this paper, we have made an attempt to use part of the data documented to estimate the factors responsible for variability in productivity levels of rice with the adoption of UDP technology under rainfed conditions during the 2016 wet season. A log linear regression model was employed for empirical estimation to determine the effect of UDP along with other external factors that jointly influence the rice yields in the intervention areas. Our analytical results indicate a significant and positive impact of UDP technology use on rice yields; improved crop intensification practices adopted by farmers also played a crucial role in improving the rice yields. In addition to these factors, male farmers were very successful in adopting the technology and in realizing higher yields in their plots compared to their female counterparts. Other variables, such as area allocated for rice, resulted in yield reduction, implying lack of purchasing power among farmers for additional input use. Along with low credit access, this results in underuse of external inputs. From a policy perspective, these results have wider implications. For instance, limited opportunities exist for crop land expansion in the intervention areas; thus, any increase in yields should come from the effective and efficient use of agro-input technologies, such as high-yielding varieties (HYVs), UDP, and other crop management techniques. The evidence from our empirical analysis further suggests increased and focused government efforts are needed toward promoting the use of efficient soil and fertilizer management technologies, such as UDP, and promoting crop intensification practices among farmers in the lowland rainfed rice cropping system in Myanmar to achieve higher yields and profits from limited expansion of cropping land. The gross margin results also indicate the likely and positive effect of increased access to technologies and participation by women farmers in extension programs for greater benefits to society as a whole.
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Assessment of Fertilizer Distribution and Opportunities for Developing Fertilizer Blends: Tanzania
(2018-06) IFDC; Afap
This report explores the opportunities for developing fertilizer blends in Tanzania by analyzing available soil information, inventories of fertilizers in the market, and the rationale behind fertilizer formulations. Discussions with various stakeholders, including AFAP, SAGCOT, Britam, NAFAKA project, and fertilizer companies such as Yara and Minjingu, informed the assessment. Soil acidity correction, fertilizer distribution, and recommendations for different crops are discussed, highlighting the suitability of existing formulations and identifying gaps in area and crop-specific blends. Recommendations for AGRA interventions include investing in soil mapping, conducting trials on blended fertilizers, and enhancing national research capacity. The report also addresses bottlenecks in fertilizer distribution and suggests policy interventions to facilitate the availability of blended fertilizers in Tanzania.
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Assessment of Fertilizer Distribution and Opportunities for Developing Fertilizer Blends: Rwanda
(2018-06) IFDC; Afap
This study provides a comprehensive analysis of fertilizer availability, distribution, and usage in Rwanda, focusing on staple crops such as maize, rice, potatoes, and soybeans. Drawing on interviews, data reviews, and soil nutrient maps, it evaluates existing fertilizer recommendations, their suitability for different crops and agro-ecological zones, and identifies gaps in current distribution systems. The study highlights the role of government recommendations, private sector involvement, and ongoing initiatives in promoting the availability of appropriate blended fertilizers. Additionally, it addresses policy bottlenecks affecting fertilizer access and proposes interventions to improve the formulation, distribution, and regulation of blended fertilizers in Rwanda.