Farmers in Africa say their soil is dying and chemical fertilizers are in part to blame
Farmers in Africa are blaming chemical fertilizers for increasingly acidic soils that have led to production decline
NAIROBI, Kenya — When Benson Wanjala started farming in his western Kenya village two and a half decades ago, his 10-acre farm could produce a bountiful harvest of 200 bags of maize. That has dwindled to 30. He says his once fertile soil has become a nearly lifeless field that no longer earns him a living.
Like many other farmers, he blames acidifying fertilizers pushed in Kenya and other African countries in recent years. He said he started using the fertilizers to boost his yield and it worked — until it didn't. Kenya's government first introduced a fertilizer subsidy in 2008, making chemical fertilizers more accessible for smaller-scale farmers.
About 63% of arable land in Kenya is now acidic, according to the agriculture ministry, which has been recording a decline in production of staples such as maize and leading exports of horticulture and tea. The production of maize declined by 4% to 44 million tons in 2022, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, which didn't say why.
The agriculture ministry didn't respond to questions, especially after a scandal over fake fertilizer in April. The fertilizer was found to be quarry dirt in misleadingly labelled bags that were distributed to farmers through a national subsidy program. President William Ruto said about 7,000 farmers bought the fake fertilizer and would be compensated with the correct product.
Problems with soil health are growing as the African continent struggles to feed itself. Africa has 65% of the world’s remaining uncultivated arable land but has spent about $60 billion annually to import food, according to the African Development
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