The Government of China supports sustainable fertility management

Duration of the project implementation: From 6 July 2020 to 5 July 2022

Implementation organization: Land and Water Division, FAO Representation in Uganda, and FAO Representation in Rwanda.

Donor: China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchange (CICETE), Ministry of Commerce, the People’s Republic of China

Project Partner(s): The Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning (IARRP) of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS); Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, the Republic of Uganda; Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board, Republic of Rwanda.

The objective of the projects is to enhance capacity development on Sustainable Soil Management (SSM) in Uganda and Rwanda through South-South cooperation, within the framework of Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) and the International Code of Conduct for Sustainable Use and Management of Fertilizers (the Fertilizer Code), with a special focus on balanced fertilization. The implementation of this project could benefit the African population through the improvement of soil health and the achievement of food security. The implementation of the project could also upscale China's successful experience to other developing countries and contribute to the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Impact

The expected impact of the current project is to improve income, food security and nutrition, as well as improve the environment and human wellbeing through the sustainable management of soil resources in Uganda and Rwanda.

Outcome

The general outcome of this project will be the strengthening of national capacities on sustainable soil management (SSM), including appropriate fertilization and conducting and interpreting soil analysis to improve food security through increased agricultural productivity and nutrition.

Output 1 Scientific and technical cooperation and support

Within the framework of GLOSOLAN, this project will contribute to improving national capacities to analyze soil nutrients and other limiting factors concerning their nutritional status, soil organic carbon levels, etc., in Uganda and Rwanda as well as in the rest of the African region and other developing regions. Fertilizer recommendations will be provided based on soil and fertilizers analyses results, including mineral and organic fertilizers. Demonstrations of formulated fertilizer use based on specific soil requirements will be conducted under the guidance of technical experts to assess the effects on crop yields and benefits to farmers. A soil database will be established to provide technical support for regional assessments and monitoring of soil fertility as well as increased agricultural productivity in developing countries. The collaboration with fertilizer companies and research institutions makes possible to maximize their respective advantages. This project will assist Uganda and Rwanda in establishing a distribution chain for fertilizers and fertilizer services through the unified technical distribution and service model, which transfers to farmers the scientific fertilization technology that is appropriate to local soil conditions and crop needs.

Output 2 Technical training and capacity development

National capacities in sustainable soil management will be developed through trainings on various soil-related topics that address local capacity needs. Educational materials will be prepared for online trainings and courses, and SSM trainings will be provided based on the needs and priorities identified in the Regional Implementation Plan (RIP). This project will be based on experience and existing knowledge on soil testing and fertilizer recommendations that have been successfully developed and implemented in the Chinese agricultural sector. Within the framework of GLOSOLAN, the Fertilizer Code and the establishment of the online education platform (EduSOILS) of the GSP, the project will improve the standardization of methodologies and soil analysis capability in Rwanda and promote the efficient management of the soil laboratories, automatic data collection, processing and programing.

Output 3 Knowledge sharing between global and regional partnerships

Organize interregional workshops for  knowledge dissemination and sharing experiences with other regional soil partnerships under South-South Cooperation Network to support capacity development on soils among regional soil partnerships with developing countries. Develop a policy brief for guiding the implementation of fertilization plans and capacity development on sustainable soil management in Uganda and Rwanda.