Restoring Southern Africa's soils: the path to food security and sustainable agriculture

Across the African continent, soils are under threat as 40 percent are degraded, especially due to erosion, nutrient depletion, organic matter decline as well as loss of biodiversity, posing a grave threat to the region's food security and long-term agricultural productivity. 

"Our soils in the region and Africa as a whole have been degraded over time, and sometimes we have not used them properly. In some cases, even when we add nutrients, we have not done that properly as most of the producers in this region are smallholder farmers who may not have adequate knowledge on soil management" said the CCARDESA Chair, Frank Kayula, painting a stark picture of the soil degradation crisis facing the region. 

"There can't be agriculture without soil health. Our economies depend on this important natural asset. So, we have to manage this asset sustainably in order to survive and empower future generations," echoed the South African Government Representative, Klass Mampholo. 

To address these challenges, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), in collaboration with the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) developed the Southern Africa Fertilizer & Soil Health Programme (SAFSHP). 

Speaking at the regional workshop to validate the Southern Africa Fertilizer & Soil Health Programme as well as validate the proposal for the establishment and operationalization of the SADC Soil Health and Fertilizer (SHF) Hub, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 18 to 21 March 2025, various speakers applauded the initiative. 

"The severity of soil degradation and the need for improved fertilizer use require urgent and decisive actions. The proposed Hub is therefore going to serve as a regional coordination mechanism to guide the implementation of the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan, with the goal of improving soil fertility, enhancing food security and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices across Southern Africa,” said the CAADP focal point at SADC, Duncan Samikwa. 

“FAO looks forward to strengthening collaboration with SADC Secretariat, CCARDESA, SADC Member States, AFAP, the CGIAR, and other partners in this initiative to boost fertilizer use and improve soil health for enhance food security and resilience of agrifood systems, ” added Peter Chinwada, the FAO Subregional Office for Southern Africa’s Plant Production & Protection Specialist.

Short- and long-term impacts

The establishment of the SHF Hub and implementation of the SAFSHP are expected to have a significant impact on agricultural productivity and food security in the region, both in the short- and long-term. In the short-term, the programme aims to address the immediate challenges of soil degradation and improve access to the right fertilizers in the region. 

In the long term, the establishment of the SHF Hub will serve as a regional coordination mechanism to guide the implementation of the African Soil Health Action Plan. As pointed out by Washington Mubvekeri, representative of the SADC Chairperson, in his opening remarks: “The programme can help smallholder farmers access the knowledge and tools they need to manage their soils more effectively, leading to immediate improvements in crop production and productivity. The establishment of the Southern Africa Soil Health & Fertilizer Hub marks a critical step towards achieving sustainable agricultural production in Southern Africa. Through the SHF Hub and the SAFSHP, we are not only striving to improve fertilizer use but also ensuring that soil health is at the centre of agricultural production".

The CCARDESA Chair explained that for the initiative to achieve its objectives, it was critical for all stakeholders to work together and mobilize resources for implementation "We are grateful to the World Bank and the European Union for supporting this programme, and enabling CCARDESA, in collaboration with FAO, to provide additional resources and technical support to Member States who are already doing some work in this area. To be impactful and make the best use of limited resources, we need to collaborate as a region."