Intense discussion surrounds call for New Green Revolution in African agriculture

Decades of reliance on mono-cropping and overgrazing have rendered approximately 65% of Africa’s agricultural land ineffective or degraded, leading to chronic hunger affecting over 270 million individuals. While there is a broad consensus that enhancing food security is critical for the continent, the methods to achieve this are hotly contested.

In February, the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit convened in Kenya, culminating in the Nairobi Declaration signed by various African leaders. This declaration outlined a plan to increase the use of both organic and inorganic fertilizers threefold over the next decade, aiming to elevate food production and rejuvenate 30% of the continent's compromised soils.

The summit highlighted that historically, African nations have inadequately utilized fertilizers to replenish essential soil nutrients. The African Union revealed that over 40 countries fall below the benchmark of 50 kg of fertilizer per hectare annually, with many averaging merely 18 kg. Consequently, many soils across the continent have become barren.

However, Charles Tumuhe, a healthy soil project officer at the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), argues that chemical fertilizers are responsible for the initial decline in soil health. He contends that since the inception of Africa's Green Revolution in the mid-20th century, large amounts of synthetic fertilizers have been indiscriminately added to the soil in an attempt to boost crop yields. This, he claims, has led to a dependency on external inputs, undermining indigenous agricultural knowledge.

For AFSA, the solution to Africa's food security challenge lies in embracing agroecology, which merges traditional practices with scientific approaches to restore biodiversity and cultivate more resilient food systems. “Agroecology is modern science that incorporates indigenous methods,” Tumuhe asserts. “It’s about collaborating with nature rather than opposing it.”

Agroecology emphasizes soil health, taking into account its chemical composition, pH, moisture levels, and the microorganisms that inhabit it. Tumuhe advocates for the use of bio-fertilizers instead of chemical ones, suggesting that this approach can foster a thriving environment for diverse life forms within the soil.

He cites bokashi, a compost made from readily available materials like charcoal dust, decomposed fruit, and cow manure. As it ferments, bokashi attracts beneficial microorganisms. In addition to providing nutrients and trace elements such as zinc and iron, he notes, “When added to the soil, you’re also introducing beneficial bacteria that aren’t found in commercial fertilizers. Soil thrives on diversity.”

The intersection of advanced science and soil health, without resorting to chemical inputs, is also a concern for agricultural technology leader Syngenta. “Africa faces a significant yield gap,” explains chief sustainability officer Petra Laux, emphasizing that farmland is underperforming. “Technology has the potential to address this,” she adds.

The company is developing a new suite of technologies aimed at enhancing soil health and enabling crops to optimize their use of existing resources. This includes incorporating bio-stimulants (micronutrients) to help plants better withstand abiotic stressors such as drought and heat.

Research has shown that supplying natural micronutrients can allow farmers to achieve equivalent yields while reducing fertilizer usage by 30%. Laux states, “A healthy plant can better utilize available nutrients.”

Syngenta is also exploring bacterial applications that enable plants to extract nitrogen from the atmosphere, thus decreasing dependence on chemical fertilizers. Additionally, they are innovating next-generation solutions like Tymirium, a compound targeting harmful nematodes that damage plant roots without harming beneficial soil microorganisms.

Laux asserts, “Africa cannot attain food security without leveraging technology.”

In addition to improving soil management, African agriculture must adapt to the challenges posed by climate change. Central to the Mount Kenya Sustainable Landscape and Livelihoods Initiative (MSuLLi) is the goal of building more resilient agricultural communities.

Established by the Rainforest Alliance with support from the IKEA Foundation, this initiative spans one of Africa's key agricultural zones, encompassing a blend of plantations, forests, and small farms on the slopes of Mount Kenya, a leading region for tea production. MSuLLi promotes regenerative farming practices and aims to reduce farmers' dependence on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides while fostering greater farm diversity.

Marion Nduta, the Rainforest Alliance’s country director in Kenya, explains that the program is built on the concept of integrated landscape management, uniting various stakeholders—from farmers to buyers, local governments to international corporations—around a common vision of restoration and conservation.

The Mount Kenya initiative also emphasizes support for women farmers, the strengthening of farmer associations, and securing commitments from tea and coffee companies to reward those implementing regenerative practices.

However, the hundreds of thousands of smallholders in Kenya face daily climate challenges, including rising temperatures, land degradation, and erratic rainfall patterns, which have recently led to severe flooding, loss of life, and destruction of crops.

These extreme weather conditions have allowed pests and diseases, like tea mites and coffee berry disease, to thrive, compounding the struggles faced by farmers grappling with aging tea and coffee plants.

Two years ago, Enos Muriuki and his wife Tabitha took the bold step of replacing their 50-year-old tea bushes with more resilient, higher-yielding varieties, following guidance from the Rainforest Alliance.

Simultaneously, they diversified their cultivation, introducing yam, cassava, spinach, and arrowroot in a kitchen garden, alongside sweet potatoes growing around their home. They also grow large cabbages to provide ground cover between the tea bushes—what they don’t consume is sold for additional income.

“Rather than letting space go to waste, we planted cabbages for profit,” Muriuki explains. “We aim to cultivate for food security, especially during droughts.”

They also maintain chickens and a small fishpond, while milk from their four cows supplements their income. A previously unusable slope on their farm is now buzzing with the sounds of beehives, vital for pollinating their Hass avocados, which rely solely on rainwater for irrigation and yield fruit year-round. Notably, the farm practices chemical-free agriculture, according to Muriuki.

Encouraging farmers to diversify helps maintain income while they transition away from chemical fertilizers for key crops like tea and coffee, notes Karugu Macharia, a member of MSuLLi’s landscape management board. Shifting to organic farming can lead to short-term yield reductions.

Macharia is critical of chemical inputs. “We used to have worms for fishing, but they’ve disappeared… fertilizers have harmed the soil,” he laments, adding that “food cooperatives are ceasing to stock chemicals because of the damage they inflict.”

The initiative aims to assist farmers in gradually phasing out pesticides and fertilizers rather than abrupt cessation, which could jeopardize crop yields and economic stability.

Muriuki’s farm is one of over 800,000 tea farms that have achieved certification from the Rainforest Alliance, along with more than 85,000 certified coffee producers. This certification is crucial to the MSuLLi initiative, as it allows farms to command higher prices for certified produce.

“Buyers can invest back into the producers as an incentive for best practices,” Nduta explains. It also enables them to trace the origins of the raw materials they purchase, aligning with growing regulatory requirements like the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, as well as consumer demand for more sustainable products.

While interest from companies in supporting sustainable transitions exists, funding remains limited. A recent report from the FAIRR investor network revealed that among 50 agrifood companies committed to regenerative agriculture, only four are providing financial assistance to farmers making this shift.

Without such support, the risk is high that companies will struggle to source sufficient quantities of high-quality crops, warns Nduta. “Companies can mitigate risks in their supply chains, but only by investing in farmers.”

The Rainforest Alliance plays a pivotal role in advocating for investment at the farm level. In June, it announced a partnership with Clarmondial, a Swiss investment firm focused on mobilizing capital for sustainable resource management.

A pilot investment will aid the Biosphere Integrity Fund in the Mount Kenya region, helping local businesses and farmers implementing sustainable practices become investment-ready and attracting interest from companies sourcing in the area.

MSuLLi is one of many initiatives across Africa aimed at revitalizing the agricultural sector sustainably. Others, like AFR100, are designed to empower millions of smallholders to rehabilitate 100 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.

AFR100 also seeks to address the significant funding shortfall hindering restoration efforts, receiving support from the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) TerraFund. Earlier this year, the fund announced nearly $18 million in investments to aid 92 organizations in restoring land, supporting farms, and planting nearly 13 million trees across regions like Kenya’s Great Rift Valley and the cocoa belt in Ghana, as well as the Rusizi River Basin in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda.

Analysis by the ClimateShot Investor Coalition (CLIC)—comprising fund managers and financial institutions—indicates that a mere 4% of global climate finance is allocated to agriculture, with only 1% reaching smallholders despite their vulnerability.

CLIC aims to enhance financing for climate-resilient, nature-positive agriculture. Among its recent beneficiaries is MazaoHub, a Tanzanian startup creating climate-smart farm management software that integrates soil sensors with AI-driven agronomy.

Another recent recipient is CoAmana, a tech firm digitalizing market hubs and food systems in Kenya and Nigeria, linking small rural agribusinesses to trade services, financing, and fulfillment solutions. This funding will enable the company to expand its buy-now-pay-later services, assisting more farmers in accessing credit.

Kiasili Farm, co-founded by 28-year-old entrepreneur Fiona Macharia with support from Mercedes-Benz’s beVisioneers program for young eco-innovators, is promoting traditional food crops, including nutrient-rich vegetables like managu