The African Union Commission has opened an online registration for media accreditation for the 2023 Africa Fertilizer, Soil, and Health (AFSH) Summit scheduled to take place from November 5 to 7, 2023, at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.
The summit is aimed at bringing together all relevant stakeholders to highlight the crucial role of fertilizer and soil health in stimulating sustainable pro-poor productivity growth in African agriculture and to agree on an African Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan, as well as the Soils Initiative for Africa.
The summit is expected to bring together the African Heads of State, high-ranking government officials, senior policymakers, private-sector players and civil society organizations. Other participants will include representatives of farmer organizations and development agencies, including NGOs, scholars and scientists, and representatives of leading donor organizations.
The AFSH summit will be held to deliberate on Africa’s recent widespread decades-long decline in soil quality of farmland – a phenomenon that continues today and negatively impacts the agricultural production capacity and food security in the continent. In June 2006, the Heads of State and Governments of the African Union endorsed the Abuja Declaration on Fertilizer for the Africa Green Revolution, a continental strategy to reverse the worrying trend of poor productivity of the African soils.
The Declaration focused on key targets required for agricultural growth, food security, and rural development in Africa, with a focus on the role of fertilizers. It recommended raising the use of fertilizers from 8 kg/(nutrients)/ha to 50 kg (nutrients) /ha in 10 years and the establishment of an African Fertilizer Financing Mechanism (AFFM) with the objective of improving agricultural productivity by providing financing required to boost fertilizer use in Africa to achieve the target of 50 kg of nutrients per hectare, as mandated by the Abuja Declaration.
It is expected that at the summit, a 10-year Action Plan will be endorsed to develop concrete recommendations for steps to be taken by African leaders and stakeholders over the next 10 years. The Action Plan will provide a focus for new policies and investments that will enable farmers to work toward re-building soil health and ultimately increase yield responses and profitability of fertilizers.
In addition, it is expected that the Action Plan will be endorsed by leading private and public sector partners across all African countries, alongside the following: Nairobi Declaration;10-year Action Plan; Soil Initiative for Africa (SIA) and Mechanism to finance the Action Plan (post-Summit implementation process).
Journalists interested in participating in the Summit are advised to register through this link: https://accreditation.au.int/en/media-accreditation/AFSH-2023, all media participation is self-sponsored.
For further information, please contact:
1. Ms Janet Edeme, – Head of Rural Development Division and Ag. Head of Agriculture and Food Security, Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, African Union Commission Email: EdemeJ@africa-union.org.
For media inquiries, please contact:
- Ms Peace Lydia Mutuwa, Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, African Union Commission; Email mutuwap@africa-union.org
- Mr. Molalet Tsedeke, Information and Communications Directorate; AU Commission Tel: +251-911-630631; Email: molalett@africa-union.org.
Deadline for media registration is October 30, 2023. Any changes will be communicated as soon as possible.
