African phosphorus summit to address global food security threat

Phosphorus, a key component of fertilizer essential for crop and animal production and hailed as a vital nutrient underpinning global food systems, will be in the spotlight at an international summit in Ghana this September.

Phosphorus is now recognized as a critical finite resource in some countries around the world, while it is considered a pollutant that threatens aquatic ecosystems in different regions. 

Concerns over its threat to the environment are mounting, leading some experts to call for coordinated global action to avoid a crisis that could jeopardize food security and water quality worldwide.

In contrast, there are growing fears that some developing African countries lack phosphorus resources. 

Sustainable phosphorus management

Lancaster University, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), Rothamsted Research, the Council for Scientific Research in Ghana, and the Forum for Agricultural Research Africa jointly organize the Sustainable Phosphorus Summit (SPS8) in Accra, the capital of Ghana.

It will also address how phosphorus is increasingly vital to green technologies.

According to Rothamsted Research, despite growing agricultural needs, Africa's phosphorus use remains far below optimal levels.

Phosphorus use in African agriculture is generally sub-optimal and has declined sharply since the late 20th century. Experts warn that without urgent investment and innovation, the region’s food production could falter under the twin pressures of population growth and climate change.

Africa does have some examples of sustainable phosphorus measures, such as monitoring water resources and recycling biomass waste, but these are often implemented only at a pilot scale. 

Balancing phosphorus fertilizer application

Increasing access to fertilizer and optimizing its application is critical so farmers can improve food security and their own livelihoods.

African farmers have limited options. Cattle manure can contribute to recycling phosphorus into soil, but this is not always practical for most smallholder farmers because they don’t have enough livestock. 

Phosphate rock can be used as an alternative and is gaining momentum in Africa, where the acidity of soils helps dissolve the phosphate. But phosphorus can interact with other micronutrients, which can be sparse in some of the continent’s soils, and can affect zinc uptake in plants and subsequent dietary intake in people.

Therefore, balanced phosphorus fertilizer application and increased recognition of its potential interactions with other essential nutrients are needed. 

Meanwhile, inefficient phosphorus use elsewhere — particularly in high-income countries — has led to widespread pollution of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters, fuelling toxic algal blooms that threaten biodiversity and human health.

SPS8 will bring together scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders who want to explore strategies for closing the phosphorus loop by reducing waste, improving fertilizer efficiency, and recovering phosphorus from wastewater and agricultural runoff. 

The conference aims to inspire and mobilize “Phosphorus Champions” to influence change across the region and build a network, culminating in an African Sustainable Phosphorus Network (ASPN). 

Phil Haygarth, professor of Soil and Water Science at Lancaster University, says: “Helping an inclusive 8th Sustainable Phosphorus Summit come to Africa is the most important, challenging, and potentially satisfying project I have contributed to. Making soils more phosphorus efficient in Africa is critical for the future of world food production, but this must also go alongside a focus on novel innovations in phosphorus recycling.”