President William Ruto has urged Africa to work towards securing affordable, quality and accessible fertilisers through local manufacturing.
“That way, we will enhance farm productivity and production, and drive our progress in food security,” Ruto said on X.
Ruto posted the message as he presided over the Africa Fertiliser and Soil Health Summit at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi on Thursday.
The summit is an African Union meeting which brings together the African Heads of State and Government, ministers responsible for Foreign Affairs and Agriculture, high-ranking government officials, senior policymakers and private-sector players.
Other participants will include representatives of farmer organisations and development agencies, including NGOs, scholars and scientists, and representatives of leading donor organisations.
The objective of the summit is to highlight the crucial role of fertiliser and soil health in stimulating 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.