NAIROBI, Kenya, May 9-At least five Heads of States and Government are in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, to participate in the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit.
The summit, which is taking place at the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC), seeks to deliberate on Africa’s recent decline in soil quality of farmland.
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who arrived in Nairobi on Wednesday, is among the African leaders already in the country.
Mnangagwa was received by Cabinet Secretary for Information Communications, Eliud Owalo.
Commenting on the three-day summit, which began on May 7, Mnangagwa said that the fertilizer and soil health are vital for sustainable agriculture and food security across Africa.
“This regional cooperation helps us drive towards Vision 2030,” he said.
Other leaders present include,Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera, his Zambian counterpart Hakainde Hichilema, Namibia’s Nangolo Mbumba and Faustin-Archange Touadéra, President of the Central African Republic.
The theme of the summit organized by the African Union is “Listen To The Land.”
According to AU, the objective of the Summit is to bring 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.
It is expected that a 10-year Action Plan, to be endorsed, which will deliver 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,” AU says.
It is also expected that the Action Plan will be endorsed by leading private and public sector partners across all African countries.
The summit brings together the African Heads of State, high-ranking government officials, senior policy makers, private-sector players and civil society organizations.
Other participants include representatives of farmer organizations and development agencies, including NGOs, scholars and scientists, and representatives of leading donor organizations.
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