Africa turns to agroecology as alternative to fertiliser crisis

African Countries Face Fertiliser Shortage Amid Global Food Crisis

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has led to a global food crisis, with fuel, fertilisers, plastics, and transport costs increasing, resulting in higher food prices worldwide. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route, is experiencing delays due to blocked shipments of natural gas and sulphur, essential for fertiliser production.

International agencies are concerned about the implications for Africa, where hundreds of millions face food shortages and many countries rely heavily on imports. Development banks are urging governments to take urgent action to secure more fertilisers for African countries.

In 2008, a global food crisis led to the implementation of programmes that handed over vast areas of land to agribusiness companies and subsidised chemical fertilisers. However, these initiatives were met with limited success in increasing fertiliser use per farmer or reducing hunger.

Fertiliser prices are particularly high in Africa, with corporations and traders making significant profit margins. When global prices rise, they increase their prices further, leaving farmers struggling to meet production costs. The continent’s high dependence on fertiliser imports exacerbates the issue, depleting foreign reserves.

Efforts to boost fertiliser production in Africa face challenges, including environmental concerns. For example, the Groupe Chimique Tunisien factory in Tunisia has been shut down due to pollution damage to local communities and the environment.

In response to the current crisis, some experts suggest redirecting subsidies and policy initiatives towards supporting agroecology, a farming approach that relies on local foods produced without chemical inputs. This approach could provide an alternative solution for African countries facing fertiliser shortages.

Source: Al Jazeera