Impacts of the global fertilizer crisis in Africa: insights from country-level studies

Abstract

The most recent disruption of the global fertilizer supply due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict resulted in a global fertilizer crisis characterized by unprecedented price hikes and shortages. Africa relies heavily on fertilizer imports to satisfy its consumption needs and was severely affected by the fertilizer crisis. We used a comparative case study approach based on primary and secondary data to evaluate the effects of the fertilizer crisis and the response of various stakeholders at country, intra-regional, and micro-level (smallholder farmers) across fertilizer supply chains in Morocco, Ghana, and Kenya. Local fertilizer prices increased two to threefold, with associated reductions in accessibility, availability, and use of fertilizers, with significant variability among and within countries. At the macro-level, government-funded subsidies were a common crisis mitigation response across countries, while other responses were country-specific. Farm-level responses and coping strategies included reductions in the quantities of fertilizer applied and in the cropping area, which were expected to reduce crop productivity. Cases were also observed where households used savings and credit to purchase fertilizers or traveled longer distances to access fertilizers. This study provides critical insights into strategies for mitigating the impact of future fertilizer supply disruptions.