Our recent policy paper titled "The Potential of Biofertilisers for North Africa: Navigating Challenges for Sustainable Food Security, Climate Change Adaptation, and Economic Development" explores the essential role fertilisers play in agricultural production, noting their significance in enhancing crop yields and supporting global food security. However, the long-term use of chemical fertilisers has raised significant environmental concerns about soil health and agricultural productivity. Additionally, the fertiliser sector faces several challenges including the growing population, geopolitical risks, general soil degradation and the impacts of climate change, as well as regulatory compliance issues.
North African countries are particularly affected by these developments due to poor soil and harsh climatic conditions in the region, as well as their dependence on fertiliser and food imports. Therefore, it faces unique challenges in supplying sufficient amounts of fertiliser and food to ensure domestic food security. The outbreak of the Russian war in Ukraine in 2022 had a severe impact on fertiliser prices, causing a price shock that illustrated the downside of global trade dynamics and geopolitical vulnerabilities.
In response to these challenges, the authors advocate for the adoption of biofertilisers as a sustainable, cost-effective alternative to their chemical counterparts. Biofertilisers not only improve soil health but also reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture while enhancing crop yields. The paper illustrates the potentials and hurdles of a scaling-up strategy for biofertilisers in North Africa, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive database to monitor biofertiliser utilisation in the region and recommending fostering international research collaborations to advance biofertiliser technology.
