Report on the African Soil Partnership

Prof. Victor Chude

Outline• AfSP governance• Achievements since 3rd Plenary Assembly 2015• Summary of future AfSP activities

AfSP Steering Committee• West Africa: Mr. Victor Chude, Nigeria (Chair) Mr. Igue A. Mouinou, Benin • East Africa: Mr. Hami Said, Djibouti Mr. Vinod B. Lalljee, Mauritius• Central Africa: Mr. Michel Naitormbaide, Chad Mr. Yves Bagafou, Gabon• Southern Africa: Ms. Laurinda Nobela, Mozambique Mr. Chebukani Fanani, Botswana• Other Partners: Mr. Martin Yemefack, ASSS Mr. E. Jeroen Huising, IITA

Pillar Chairs and Focal Points• Pillar 1: Zakayo Muyaka, Uganda• Pillar 2: Botle Mapeshoane, Lesotho• Pillar 3: Martin Yemefack, Cameroon• Pillar 4: Christian Thine, Kenya• Pillar 5: Vinod Laljee, Mauritius

National Focal Points• 35 out of 45 countries• Outstanding countries:• Angola, Benin, Burundi, Central African Republic,

Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Mali, Mauritius, Somalia

SSM Priorities in Member Countries

• Address soil degradation as a factor of food security.• Implement sustainable soil management with focus on soil

health/fertility.• Develop update and disseminate harmonized regional soil

information.• Address climate change and build resilience.• Capacity building and development in all the soil related

applications.• Establish linkages and networks for soil information.

Achievements since 3rd Plenary Assembly 2015• Prof Victor Chude elected as Vice Chairperson for

the 4th Plenary Assembly.

• Final AfSP Implementation Plan (Mar 2016).

• 2015 Special edition of Nature and Faune.

Achievements since 3rd Plenary Assembly 2015

• Seminars, workshops and conferences to

celebrate IYS and WSD.

• FAO Africa Regional Conference 2016

• Side event on High Level Discussion

for follow-up on the 2006 Abuja

Declaration “From fertilizers to

sustainable soil management”.

Decisions from the Side Event

1. Discuss outcomes of a comprehensive review of successes, lessons learned, challenges and new opportunities to feed

into post-2015 strategies, which will be carried out and disseminated by relevant interest partners

2. Update the 2006 Abuja Declaration by widening it to exploit its link with sustainable soil management and

propose strategies to be in place in Africa by 2030 in line with the SDGs and Malabo Implementation Strategy and

Road Map.

Proposed that a high level meeting be convened by interested partners to:

African Implementation Plan• Pillar 1 (USD 23,845,000)

• Soil degradation and restoration hotspots mapped.• Monitoring system for degradation and SSM implementation.• SSM practices implemented (soil management, soil

conservation, soil restoration/rehabilitation).

• Pillar 2 (USD 2,750,000)• SSM Partner platforms, awareness and investment promoted• Regional tertiary soil science training exchange• Information package for soil extension• Region-specific policy recommendations

• Pillar 3 (USD 615,000)• African Soil Research for Development Platform• List of soil-related research gaps• Regional research working groups established

• Pillar 4 (USD 2,840,000)• Compilation of soil data sources and soil mapping covariates• African soil database developed and maintained• Online interaction platform and training package for DSM• Soil texture map for Africa• Soil status monitoring system

African Implementation Plan

• Pillar 5 (USD 2,560,000)• Harmonization procedure for soil description.• Regional soil correlation events held.• List of national, regional and international reference

laboratories.

African Implementation Plan

Future planning• AfSP members to participate in 7th International

Conference of the African Soil Science Society • AfSP Side event

• High Level Meeting on follow-up to 2006 Abuja Declaration.

• Regional training on the Soil Doctors Programme (2016).

Challenges• Consolidate the African Partnership by executing

the African Implementation Plan: advocacy and awareness raising is important.

• Resource mobilization for full implementation of activities. I make a plea to resource partners to support us as the momentum and needs are evident.

Thank you!

AfSPCommitted to achieving Zero Hunger in Africa

through sustainable soil management