The Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) has emphasized the importance of improving small-scale farmers’ access to fertilizers as a key strategy for enhancing food security and economic development in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
ZARI Acting Director, Ndashe Kapulu, highlighted the role of the Southern African Fertilizer and Soil Health Programme in establishing a regional hub aimed at improving soil health and fertilizer efficiency.
He made these remarks on the sidelines of an ongoing regional conference in South Africa.
Dr. Kapulu stressed that achieving optimal fertilizer use requires nationwide soil mapping and improved access to soil testing services, ensuring farmers receive area-specific fertilizer recommendations tailored to their landscapes.
He also underscored the need for strengthened partnerships among stakeholders to validate and domesticate the Soil Health and Fertilizer Action Plans, which stem from the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya, in May 2024.
“In Zambia, the Ministry of Agriculture, through ZARI and in collaboration with the University of Zambia, is implementing a nationwide soil-mapping initiative to refine fertilizer and liming recommendations,” said Dr. Kapulu.
He further called for clear investment pathways for governments, development partners, and the private sector, emphasizing the need for resource mobilization, technological innovation, capacity building, knowledge sharing, and institutional strengthening to actualize the commitments made in the Nairobi Declaration.
This is according to a statement issued to RCV News in Lusaka today, by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Zambian High Commission in South Africa, Tamara Nyirenda.
By Chimba Chilopa
