Alternative and accessible fertiliser strategies to support long-term soil health and agricultural productivity

Sustainable intensification is critical for global food security and climate outcomes, and practices that preserve soil health are a key enabler. Healthy soil is vital for increasing productivity on existing agricultural land, ensuring that more land isn’t converted and that everyone can access safe and nutritious food.

But in large parts of the world, traditional mineral fertilisers are routinely used inefficiently. In South Asia, overuse and misuse is contributing to soil degradation and the release of significant amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, impacting both productivity and the environment. In sub-Saharan Africa, underuse of fertilisers, exacerbated by high and volatile prices, results in low yields and forces additional land to be converted to agricultural use.

In our report with CASA Programme published last year, we explore alternative and accessible fertiliser strategies to support long-term soil health and agricultural productivity in these regions. In this publication we:

✅ Identify three alternative fertilizer technologies - green ammonia, biological products, and organic products - that have the potential to support sustainable intensification and long-term soil health.

📉 Summarise the barriers to more efficient fertiliser use, such as inefficient long standing farming practices, the lack of high quality alternative products tailored for smallholders needs, and the difficulties to access investments that can lead from product development to commercialisation at scale.

🔓 Provide recommendations for governments and capital providers to unlock investments in fertiliser alternatives and soil health technologies.

Adopting these products and practices on a large scale, within an integrated approach to long-term soil health, has the potential to enhance food security, improve smallholder yields and livelihoods, and mitigate climate and environmental impacts.