The African Union Commission has appointed the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) as the official Secretariat for the Soil Initiative for Africa (SIA) and the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan (AFSH-AP).
This announcement, made at the high-level 20th CAADP Partnership Platform (CAADP-PP) meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, represents a significant advancement toward sustainable soil health and fertilizer solutions across Africa.
African Union Commission Appoints FARA as Secretariat for Soil Health and Fertilizer Initiative.
H.E Amb. Josefa Sacko, AUC-DARBE Commissioner called for a unified approach among African organizations, emphasizing that the success of the AFSH-AP and SIA depends on collaboration, not competition.
She underscored the necessity of collective commitment to achieve the objectives of the 2024 Presidential Declaration on Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health, which sets forth an ambitious ten-year plan to address Africa’s soil and fertilizer challenges.
Ambassador Sacko’s endorsement of the SIA coordination framework—crafted by a dedicated technical working group—establishes a comprehensive structure for regional and national implementation. This framework assigns FARA as the Secretariat, supported by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) as the lead coordinating entity and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Sub-Regional Organizations (SROs) as regional facilitators through designated hubs.
This coalition, organized around five thematic areas, will provide focused support at the continental, regional, and national levels to ensure the effective implementation of AFSH-AP objectives.
In a powerful keynote, Prof. Richard Mkandawire emphasized the importance of “Coordination, Cooperation, Capacity, and African Leadership” in advancing AFSH-AP. Zimbabwe’s Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, Hon. Vangelis Haritatos, reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s commitment to agricultural productivity and soil health, announcing new government investments, including funds to revitalize the Africa Center for Fertilizer Development (ACFD) in Harare, a key step in bolstering Africa’s fertilizer production capacity.
African Union Commission Appoints FARA as Secretariat for Soil Health and Fertilizer Initiative.
Section of Panelists from the ‘How Not to Implement the AFSH-AP: Learning from Experience’ Panel discussion.
A “fireside chat” session, titled “How Not to Implement the AFSH-AP: Learning from Experience,” shed light on critical insights for the successful execution of Africa’s soil health agenda.
Deputy Minister Odd Arnesen, Mr. Noel Ujeneza, and Madam Bongiwe Njobe highlighted the need to reduce bureaucracy as other continents advance.
They advocated for greater private sector involvement, an enhanced Africa Fertilizer Financing Mechanism (AFFM-II), and a blend of mineral and organic fertilizers to strengthen Africa’s agricultural resilience.
The appointment of FARA as the SIA Secretariat is a pivotal moment, inspiring stakeholders to unite under this visionary framework to achieve the ambitious goals of the Soil Initiative for Africa and AFSH-AP. Guided by Ambassador Sacko’s leadership, Africa is poised for a transformative journey toward sustainable agricultural development, unity, and a shared commitment to a food-secure future.