IFDC Report, Volume 31, No. 1
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2006-06
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Abstract
This material discusses the Abuja Declaration on Fertilizer, which was declared at the Africa Fertilizer Summit, a significant gathering addressing Africa's fertilizer crisis. The declaration proclaimed mineral and organic fertilizers as a "strategic commodity without borders," advocating the lifting of cross-border taxes and tariffs. The document emphasizes the urgent need to address Africa's depleted soils, which have become the poorest in the world due to decades of nutrient mining. The Abuja Declaration calls for increased fertilizer use to combat hunger in Africa, highlighting the estimated annual loss of over $4 billion worth of soil nutrients. It also proposes the establishment of an African Fertilizer Development Financing Mechanism to support regional fertilizer procurement, credit provision, and local fertilizer manufacture. The material discusses the implications of low fertilizer use in Africa, the importance of soil health, and the potential for an African Green Revolution. It addresses challenges such as infrastructure limitations, weak input and output marketing systems, and the need for comprehensive solutions to Africa's food and agricultural crisis. Various leaders, including Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, express the importance of nutrient availability and environmentally sound fertilizer use for sustainable agricultural productivity in Africa.
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Fertilizers, Phosphorus