By Scoop Reporter
The Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) has emphasized that the Southern African Fertilizer and Soil Health Programme (SAFSHP) is a crucial driver for establishing a regional hub aimed at enhancing economic development and food security across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
ZARI acting director Ndashe Kapulu highlighted SAFSHP’s role in improving access to fertilizers, particularly for small-scale farmers.
He emphasized the need for efficient fertilizer use, which can be achieved through refined, area-specific recommendations tailored to both farmers and landscapes.
Dr Kapulu addressed these points during a regional conference in South Africa. He noted that achieving these goals requires nationwide soil mapping and improved access to soil testing services.
He also stressed the importance of strengthening partnerships and collaboration among stakeholders to validate and implement the Soil Health and Fertilizer Action Plans, outcomes from the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit that took place in Nairobi, Kenya, in May 2024.
Dr Kapulu called for clearly defined entry points for investments from governments, development partners, and the private sector. He emphasized collective resource mobilization, technological innovation (including agroecological solutions), capacity building, knowledge sharing, and institutional strengthening as key drivers for actualizing the Nairobi Declaration.
He further said Zambia’s Ministry of Agriculture, through ZARI and in collaboration with the University of Zambia, is conducting a nationwide soil-mapping exercise to refine fertilizer and liming recommendations.
And the Dean of the School of Agriculture Sciences at the University of Zambia, Professor Thomson Kalinda, highlighted the country’s progress in agricultural research aimed at addressing climate challenges.
This is contained in a statement issued by the first secretary of press and public relations at the Zambia High Commission in South Africa, Tamara Nyirenda.
