Like other sub-regions across the continent, West Africa faces pressing challenges in soil health and fertilizer management. As the continent’s most populous region, it must meet rising food demand while overcoming structural constraints to sustainable land management. In this interview, Asseta Diallo, Senior Specialist for Soil Health and Integrated Management at AGRA, discusses political commitments in this area, as well as the national frameworks and regional hubs driving soil health initiatives across West Africa. 

Asseta Diallo

Ecofin Agency: In May 2024, African countries adopted the Nairobi Declaration on Fertilizer and Soil Health, pledging to restore at least 30% of degraded land and triple certified fertilizer production and distribution by 2034. How much progress has West Africa made so far?

Diallo Asseta: The Nairobi Declaration adopted in May 2024 marks an important milestone in Africa's soil fertility efforts. It builds on the 2006 Abuja Summit, where African heads of state recognized the extremely low level of fertilizer use across the continent, around 8 kg per hectare at the time, compared to over 100 kg in other parts of the world, and committed to reaching 50 kg per hectare by 2015.

Progress has been made since Abuja. The continental average now stands at around 20 to 22 kg per hectare. Several countries have implemented fertilizer subsidy programs and strengthened the private sector’s role in input distribution. We are also seeing a growing number of fertilizer blending facilities in West Africa, particularly in Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, and Burkina Faso, which is gradually improving access to inputs.

However, the 2006 targets were not fully achieved, which led to the Nairobi Declaration. This new roadmap broadens the approach. It is no longer just about increasing mineral fertilizer use, but about adopting an integrated vision of soil health. This includes organic fertilizers, soil amendments, restoring degraded land, with an ambitious target of 30% by 2034, as well as improving farmers’ access to appropriate technologies and financing.

It is no longer just about increasing mineral fertilizer use, but about adopting an integrated vision of soil health.

Looking specifically at West Africa, it is still early to provide a full assessment, as less than two years have passed since the Declaration was adopted. Nevertheless, several positive developments are underway. The African Fertilizer Financing Mechanism, hosted by the AfDB under the African Union, is helping address key financial constraints in the sector. Regional economic communities have also begun implementing the continental action plan. ECOWAS, like regional blocs in East and Southern Africa, has adapted the guidelines at the regional level before member states implement them nationally.

At the national level, several West African countries are making concrete progress. Nigeria has developed its national soil health roadmap. Burkina Faso and Mali are engaged in similar processes, and support initiatives have also been carried out in Senegal. These efforts aim to turn continental commitments into practical strategies suited to local contexts.

Major programs are also being implemented. One example is the “Soil Values” program, funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, operating in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. Its objective is to rehabilitate and improve the fertility and productive capacity of approximately 2 million hectares of agricultural land, while strengthening the resilience and wellbeing of around 1.5 million smallholder farmers, with particular emphasis on women and young people. This type of initiative represents a tangible example of the Nairobi commitments in action.

Technical innovations are also emerging in the region. In Burkina Faso, for instance, specific fertilizer formulas have been developed for maize and rice to improve agronomic efficiency. In Nigeria, notable progress has been made in developing and organizing organic fertilizer value chains.

EA: Nigeria, Mali and Niger are pursuing different national strategies to strengthen soil health systems. Where do their approaches converge, and where do they diverge?

DA: The three countries are at different stages in soil health management, but there are clear similarities. All three now recognize soil health as a strategic priority. This reflects the continental framework established under the Nairobi Declaration, although implementation varies depending on national contexts.

In Niger, the process is still at an early stage. The World Soil Day celebration, organized in partnership with the government, served as a starting point for developing a national action plan. The country faces severe land degradation in a vulnerable Sahelian environment, with a private sector that is still poorly organized and limited technical capacity.

Nigeria, by contrast, has a much more developed ecosystem. The private sector plays a central role. The country has several dozen industrial fertilizer blending facilities capable of producing crop-specific formulas. This industrial base improves farmers’ access to suitable inputs. Major players such as Dangote and Indorama are investing not only in production but also in research and the dissemination of technical solutions.

Mali falls somewhere in between. It has long been among the more advanced countries in the sub-region in terms of fertilizer use, supported by well-organized national actors that facilitate supply. As in Nigeria, organic fertilizer production is gradually expanding.

Usage levels illustrate these differences. In Niger, the average is around 10 kg per hectare, compared to approximately 18 kg per hectare in Nigeria. Mali shows relatively higher application rates in certain intensive production zones. These gaps underscore the importance of a dynamic private sector.

Countries with a strong industrial and commercial base tend to progress more quickly, both in improving access to inputs and in fostering innovation. Increasing volumes alone is not sufficient. Fertilizer quality control and agronomic efficiency are essential to ensure a real return on investment for farmers.

Institutional and scientific capacity is another key factor. In Nigeria, academic institutions such as Ahmadu Bello University contribute actively to soil fertility research, strengthening the link between science, industry and public policy.

Finally, the gradual adoption of continental frameworks is a common feature. The African action plan is implemented at the regional level, particularly through ECOWAS, before being adapted to national priorities. Each country defines its interventions according to its specific context.

EA: What are the key differences in fertilizer financing frameworks across Nigeria, Mali and Niger?

DA : At the continental level, there is an African Fertilizer Financing Mechanism housed at the African Development Bank, which emerged from commitments made at the Abuja Summit. However, the mechanism did not become fully operational until around 2018 and has operated with limited resources. Its objective is to support private sector actors in both fertilizer production and distribution. In practice, its interventions have been limited and have involved only a few countries, notably Nigeria for a defined period.

In all three countries, the primary financing instrument remains public fertilizer subsidies. After 2006, most West African governments adopted this model to improve farmers’ access to inputs. Nigeria, Mali and Niger have each implemented subsidy programs to varying degrees.

The results, however, have been mixed. Despite significant budget allocations, productivity gains have often fallen short of expectations. Nigeria has sought to improve subsidy governance by introducing electronic targeting systems to reduce leakages and better identify beneficiaries. It also launched the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, which involves importing raw materials, supporting local blending facilities, and redistributing fertilizers to farmers at subsidized prices.

Mali has implemented relatively structured subsidy mechanisms, supported by an active supply network. Niger, by contrast, faces more severe budgetary and logistical constraints, exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis, which triggered a sharp rise in international fertilizer prices. This surge significantly weakened governments’ capacity to sustain large-scale subsidy programs.

The differences are particularly evident in governance structures and market organization. Nigeria benefits from a well-developed private sector, with numerous industrial blending facilities and integrated companies. This industrial base strengthens domestic production capacity, supports research, and enables the adaptation of fertilizer formulas to specific crop requirements. Mali also has active private operators, which at one point allowed it to reach some of the highest fertilizer usage levels in the sub-region. Niger, however, has a more limited industrial base, a less organized private sector, and constrained technical capacity, which affects input availability, quality control, and farmer advisory services.

Usage patterns also vary by crop. Application rates are higher in cash crops and certain staples such as maize, while traditional cereals such as millet and sorghum continue to receive very limited fertilizer inputs.

Usage patterns also vary by crop. Application rates are higher in cash crops and certain staples such as maize, while traditional cereals such as millet and sorghum continue to receive very limited fertilizer inputs.

The price increases during the Covid-19 period led many farmers to turn toward organic fertilizers. These play an important role in improving soil structure and nutrient retention. However, relying solely on organic inputs is not sufficient in the context of rapid population growth. Evidence shows that an integrated approach combining organic and mineral fertilizers is necessary. Organic inputs enhance soil health, while mineral fertilizers provide the nutrients required to achieve significant yield gains.

EA: What structural barriers are limiting the adoption and scale-up of soil health interventions in West Africa?

DA: In West Africa, there are multiple obstacles. Financing remains the primary constraint. Restoring soils, developing appropriate technologies, structuring input value chains, and supporting farmers require substantial and sustained investment. For example, the “Soil Values” program, funded by Dutch development cooperation at €100 million over ten years, covers only four countries and targets around two million hectares. Relative to regional needs, this remains modest. It highlights both the scale of the challenge and the gap in available resources.

Restoring soils, developing appropriate technologies, structuring input value chains, and supporting farmers require substantial and sustained investment.

Numerous studies show that the cost of inaction would be far higher. Soil degradation directly affects agricultural productivity, food security, nutrition, and ultimately public revenues. Investing in soil health is therefore not merely an expense but a long-term economic and social safeguard.

Another major challenge is farmer awareness and access to information. Many farmers lack reliable soil diagnostics and do not fully understand the economic consequences of soil degradation. Without clear data on nutrient deficiencies, investment in appropriate practices remains limited.

There is also a shortage of technical expertise at the national level. Integrated soil fertility management requires skills in agronomy, fertilizer formulation, soil analysis, and policy design. Since its creation, AGRA has invested in building human capacity by funding master’s and doctoral training for numerous scientists. Today, these experts hold key positions in research institutes, ministries, development organizations, and the private sector.

Governance of agricultural systems and input markets is another constraint. Even when strategies exist, implementation can suffer from weak coordination between ministries, limited monitoring and evaluation capacity, or overreliance on public subsidies. Physical access to inputs also remains a barrier in many rural areas. If farmers must travel tens of kilometers to purchase fertilizer, adoption rates will remain low. Developing networks of local private distributors is therefore essential. AGRA is working to strengthen the private input sector and facilitate partnerships with institutions such as the International Finance Corporation and the World Agroforestry Centre to promote technologies adapted to local contexts.

EA: How well do national soil health strategies align with the regional Roadmap for Fertilizer and Soil Health in West Africa and the Sahel?

DA: In West Africa, national soil health strategies are gradually being aligned with the regional Roadmap for Fertilizer and Soil Health, developed under the leadership of ECOWAS and its Sahelian partners. The roadmap was prepared in 2023 ahead of the African summit in Nairobi in May 2024, with the participation of heads of state, ministers, and experts from several regional and international organizations, including AGRA, IFDC, and IITA. It reflects a coordinated effort to translate continental commitments, particularly those under the Nairobi Declaration on soil health and fertilizer use, into a regional framework.

Implementation relies on regional hubs, which are coalitions of partners tasked with supporting member states in adapting the roadmap at the national level. For ECOWAS, the regional hub is housed at IITA and provides technical and strategic support to countries. Through this mechanism, several West African states, including Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and more recently Niger, are being supported in developing national roadmaps and integrating soil health priorities into their action plans.

Coherence with broader continental frameworks is also ensured. The roadmap is embedded within the revised CAADP framework adopted last January, which guides national agricultural investment plans. The objective is to ensure that soil health is not treated as a standalone issue but is fully integrated into overall agricultural development strategies, either through dedicated roadmaps or through the ongoing review of regional and national investment plans.

EA: As young people make up a growing share of the agricultural workforce, what role can they play in advancing soil health, and what support do they need?

DA: Young people are central to AGRA’s agricultural programs, both because they represent a majority of the population and because they are a major source of innovation. They are engaged at multiple levels across the agricultural value chain: as service providers, producers of organic fertilizers, input distributors, drone operators conducting soil mapping, and extension agents using digital tools and artificial intelligence.

To support this engagement, AGRA has developed a range of targeted initiatives. These include university and technical training programs to strengthen agronomic and entrepreneurial skills, support for agricultural start-ups, assistance in establishing youth service provider associations, and opportunities to showcase innovations at events such as International Soil Day. Such platforms not only highlight youth-led solutions but also facilitate networking and access to partnerships.

These efforts are designed to achieve two objectives. First, they contribute to the long-term sustainability of soil management practices by embedding technical knowledge and innovation within the next generation of agricultural actors. Second, they create viable economic opportunities for young people, helping to make agriculture a more attractive and profitable sector. In this way, youth engagement becomes both a development priority and a strategic investment in the future of soil health.

Interview by Espoir Olodo