Promoting the Production and Consumption of Fertilizer and the Cross-border Fertilizer Trade in Africa: report on a study conducted by the Economic Commission for Africa and the Africa Fertilizer Financing Mechanism

Abstract

Although agriculture remains a dominant economic sector for most African countries, agricultural productivity levels on the continent are among the lowest in the world, a factor that poses a great challenge to meeting the continent’s growing food needs. In 2015, African countries imported some $35 billion of food products, and that figure is projected to rise to more than $110 billion by 2025. Challenges impeding the African agricultural sector include the declining amount of arable land per capita, climate change risks and the impact of growing global demand for food, animal feed, fiber and fuel. To meet increasing food demand, agricultural production must grow. However, to achieve that objective without converting more forested areas or savanna into arable land, it is critical to make optimal use of key inputs, including improved seed varieties, fertilizers, and technologies, such as modern irrigation methods. Those inputs must be used more efficiently and in a more environmentally friendly manner in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit output. In particular, the limited use of fertilizer is a key factor that continues to impede agricultural productivity gains and increases in farm incomes in Africa.