Harnessing digital tools in securing soil health for Africa’s food future

Nairobi, 27 June 2025 (IITA) – As it marks its first anniversary, the Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel is set to roll out game-changing digital soil maps and tools to transform smallholder farming, build climate resilience and bolster food security.

Most African farming systems are characterised by poor crop yields as a result of nutrient mining, low fertilizer use and limited use of organic inputs as well as limited practise of crop rotation. Up to 80 percent of Africa’s cultivated land is degraded, causing nutrient losses of between 30-60 kg per hectare and economic losses estimated at $4 billion annually.

Smallholder farmers in West Africa and the Sahel region specifically are challenged by poor soils, land degradation, poor yields, and loss of ecosystem services, which has led to a cycle of  poverty and depletion of resources.

To break this cycle, the African Union Fertilizer and Soil Health Ten year Action Plan and the Nairobi Declaration have called for bold, coordinated regional action. In response, the Fertilizer and Soil Health Hub for West Africa and the Sahel was established.

The Regional Hub is a collaborative platform initiated at the May 2023 Lome High Level Roundtable on Fertilizers and Soil Health and launched at the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit in Nairobi, Kenya in 2024. It focuses on arresting soil health decline in the region. The purpose of the Regional Hub is to provide technical assistance for the development and implementation of ongoing, new fertilizer and soil health-related investments.

The Hub, established by a consortium of organizations, aligns directly with the needs outlined in the Roadmap for Fertilizer and Soil Health inscribed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), World Bank (AICCRA project), and IFDC (September 2023). This strategic alignment underscores the Hub’s direct relevance to the summit’s critical discussions on addressing Africa’s soil health challenges and enhancing agricultural productivity.

Farmers in West Africa and the Sahel apply fertilizers without knowing the specific needs of their local soils and crops. As a result, they use fertilizer wrongly which means there is inefficient use of nutrients leading to poor crop yields and the long term, soil degradation and pollution. There is a solution: digital soil health maps.

By mapping Africa’s soils, scientists under the Sustainable Farming Program (SFP) seek to understand soil profiles to best develop appropriate fertilizer applications and determine soil health – the defence against food insecurity.The digital tools help in improving soil health and soil management to boost crop productivity and resilience to climate change.

“Soil health is a food security issue and the Regional Hub is deploying digital tools to secure soil health and boost the efficient use of fertilizers in supporting productivity in West Africa and Sahel region,” says Bernard Vanlauwe, Deputy Director General, Research for Development at IITA and chair of the Hub consortium steering committee. “By developing digital soil maps, the Hub is laying a firm foundation for sustainable farming while building climate resilience in Africa’s food systems and ensuring food security for all.”

Apart from building climate resilience, digital soil maps contribute to environmental sustainability by helping farmers minimize overusing fertilizers. The maps identify specific nutrient deficiencies so farmers can apply precise amounts of fertilizer, thereby reducing environmental harm and promoting soil health.

Digital soil maps have a huge economic impact too. By adopting data-driven practices, scientists say farmers can achieve yield increases of up to 40% and profit gains of 20%. This means better livelihoods through improved crop yields and high incomes for farmers.

Launched in the headquarters of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, Nigeria, in June 2024, the Regional Hub, brings together key stakeholders. These  include OCP Africa, the African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI), University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P), International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC), and the World Bank. The Regional Hub fosters partnerships with other organizations, research institutions and private sector entities to achieve a sustainable farming future in the region.

In addition, the Regional Hub is providing support for Soil and Plant Analytical Laboratory Services across the continent. Furthermore, the Regional Hub will develop site-specific fertilizer recommendations tailored to local soils and crops. This will enable stakeholders to implement site-specific nutrient management recommendations, following the principles of Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) and leveraging the 4R principles—right rate, right place, right time, and right source. At the same time the Regional Hub is rolling out advanced data analytics and modeling to ensure climate-smart and sustainable farming practices.

With the digital soil maps set to be released in 2025, the Regional Hub is currently expanding mapping efforts and boosting data use while supporting the development and adoption of climate-smart agronomy tools like AgWise. AgWise is a freely available, open-source tool that provides data-driven, localized, and climate-specific agronomic recommendations. It combines agronomic and geospatial datasets from field trials, market analyses, and open data sources to deliver tailored advice on optimal planting times, cultivar selection, fertilizer types and quantities, and good agronomic practices. AgWise integrates soil, weather, and satellite data from sources like the International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC) to support recommendations for specific growing conditions.

The success of the Regional Hub will be measured by the increase in yields and incomes of at least three million farmers, improvement in soil health for 1.5 million hectares of land and 1.5 million farmers’ adaptation to climate change hazards by 2033.

Partnerships are the cornerstone of the Regional Hubs’ success where key partners bring unique skills and expertise.

The IITA, the agricultural research partner with a proven track record in advancing crop production in Africa, hosts the Regional Hub. OCP Africa provides tailored, sustainable fertilizer solutions to meet the specific needs of local soils and crops essential for improving soil fertility and agricultural sustainability.

The African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI) advances plant nutrition research and develops training programs, helping farmers build knowledge and implement best practices in soil health management.

The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) supports the Hub with its expertise in developing and disseminating effective fertilizer technologies and fostering public-private partnerships to ensure innovative solutions reach farmers.

Accelerating the Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) is a key knowledge partner that offers soil information, knowledge management, agronomy recommendations, capacity development, policy support, and advocacy. Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) drives scientific and technical advancements through soil mapping, remote sensing, and precision agriculture tools. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) plays a crucial role in aligning the Regional Hub’s activities with regional policies and promoting best practices across member states.

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