Delegates from IGAD Member States, the African Union, and development partners have convened in Nairobi for a five-day regional writeshop to develop the 2025–2035 Implementation Plan for the IGAD Fertilizer and Soil Health Hub.
The event, held at the Sarova Stanley Hotel, underscores the region’s commitment to reversing land degradation and boosting agricultural productivity through sustainable soil management.
Representing H.E. Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, IGAD’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Eshete Dejen, Programme Manager for Environment and Coordinator for the Blue Economy, emphasized the urgency of the task at hand.
“While agriculture remains the cornerstone of our economies, we are witnessing the gradual loss of our most vital resource our soil,” said Dr. Dejen. “This moment presents a critical opportunity to act decisively by promoting strategies such as the adoption of organic fertilizers to safeguard soil health for future generations.”
In opening remarks delivered on behalf of Kenya’s Principal Secretary for the State Department for Agriculture, Rashi Khator, who represented the Principal Secretary, welcomed delegates on behalf of the Government of Kenya and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development
He noted that agriculture contributes between 25% to 42% of GDP across IGAD member states and employs over 70% of the region’s population, yet productivity remains low due to soil degradation, climate challenges, and limited access to inputs such as fertilizers and quality seeds.
Kenya’s experience, Khator explained, reflects broader regional issues. While fertilizer usage in Kenya stands at 34kg per hectare above the sub-Saharan average it remains far below the global average of 135kg.
“Over-reliance on chemical fertilizers without sustainable practices has damaged soil health,” he said, calling for an integrated approach that includes conservation agriculture, agroforestry, and balanced nutrient management.
Delegates also reflected on outcomes from the recent Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit, where the Nairobi Declaration and a continent-wide 10-Year Action Plan were adopted.
These frameworks aim to increase fertilizer production, improve soil testing, and promote localized agronomic practices.
The writeshop is expected to result in a regional roadmap that translates these continental commitments into actionable strategies tailored to the unique ecological and economic realities of the IGAD region.
Organizers stressed that improving soil health is not only vital for agricultural output but also for broader goals such as food security, economic resilience, and poverty reduction.
“Let us work together to translate our commitments into concrete actions,” Khator concluded. “The future of our region depends on the health of our soils.”
