Sustain Africa supports the Kenyan government with advisory services to improve fertilizer nutrient use efficiency

Sustain Africa, in collaboration with the Presidential Economic Transformation Secretariat (PETS), the Ministry of Agriculture,  Livestock and Fisheries Kenya, and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), along with other partners, celebrated the official launch of Sustain Africa’s Kenya country programme on Tuesday, November 7^th, 2023, at the Trademark Hotel, Village Market, Nairobi, Kenya.

Sustain Africa will support the Kenyan government with advisory services aimed at improving the efficiency of fertilizer use.  Sustain Africa, working with the Presidential Economic Transformation Secretariat (PETs) ,will collaborate with the CGIAR Excellence in Agronomy (EIA), KALRO, the Fertilizer Association of Kenya and other stakeholders to: Support the development of country evidence-based fertilizer recommendations based on vast available data: Develop extension service advisory and best practice material and: Develop an accompanying publicity programme that will ensure farmers are aware of refined fertilizer recommendations, their suitability for specific crops, and the correct application. Target crops are maize, rice, Irish potatoes, wheat, beans, sunflower, canola, palm oil, and cotton.

Ben Valk, Executive Director of Sustain Africa, commented, “Yields in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remain stubbornly low in comparison with other geographies. This is primarily a result of low fertilizer uptake, due a range of factors including low access and affordability, but also low farmer knowledge on the benefits of fertilizer use. It also reflects inefficiencies in the correct choice and application of fertilizer. There have been substantial investments by multiple stakeholders in mapping soils in SSA which provides a foundation for accurate fertilizer formulation. This project builds on that knowledge in order to improve fertilizer efficiency. Ultimately, we should be able to offer farmers higher yields for the same fertilizer spend. I’m therefore very grateful to our programme partners, in particular the CGIAR Excellence in Agronomy, for their engagement to provide fertilizer recommendations to the Kenyan government and training materials for farmers.“

James Mutonyi, Kenya Country Manager, AFAP, commented, “This programme demonstrates the Kenyan government’s commitment to ensuring maximum impact of its subsidy programme through science-driven recommendations on fertilizer choice and application. As countries in Sub-Saharan Africa focus on developing and updating national fertilizer strategies, Kenya will have valuable lessons to share on the continent about efficient fertilizer use.”

“We believe that every farmer deserves the opportunity to thrive,” said Dr. Job Kihara, Co-Lead at CGIAR Excellence in Agronomy Initiative “That’s why we’re working to create a resilient and thriving agricultural future for all through tailored solutions and innovative partnerships.”

Programme partners include the Kenyan government’s Presidential Economic Transformational Secretariat (PETS), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture (Fertilizer Promotion Unit the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), the Fertilizer Association of Kenya (FAK), the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), and the Kenya National Agro-dealer Association (KENADA).

Distinguished participants at the launch and inception meeting included James Mutonyi- AFAP Kenya Country Manager; Michael Sudarkasa- AFAP CEO; Ben Valk- Sustain Africa Executive Director; Henry Kinyua- PETs Advisor; Dr. John Kihara- Co-Lead Excellence in Agronomy; Prof. John Tanui-Project Lead Scientist; Bimal Kantaria-FAK Chairman; Henry Ogolla-Chemagro Managing Director; John Macharia-AGRA Country Manager and Dr. Augustine Cheruiyot-Senior Adviser and Head of PETS.