{"id":4082,"date":"2026-04-16T00:44:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T00:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/?p=4082"},"modified":"2026-04-20T18:15:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T18:15:53","slug":"strait-of-hormuz-crisis-should-catalyze-african-biofertilizer-production-commentary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/?p=4082","title":{"rendered":"Strait of Hormuz crisis should catalyze African biofertilizer production (commentary)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"post-317598\">\n<div class=\"bulletpoints-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"bulletpoints\">\n<ul>\n<li><em>As tensions disrupt food, fuel and fertilizers flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, Africa\u2019s dependence on imported synthetic inputs is once again exposed, since up to 50% of its fertilizer supplies originate in Persian Gulf nations.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>While Africa\u2019s largest chemical fertilizer manufacturer ramps up production to meet the continent\u2019s acute need, a key question becomes whether biologically derived fertilizers created by small to medium enterprises \u2014 and by farmers themselves \u2014 can help fill the gap.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>\u201cFor the farmer standing in her field at dawn, the question is immediate: will she have what she needs to plant? The answer must be equally immediate and rooted in the strength and potential of our own solutions and soils,\u201d a new op-ed argues.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"content-expander\"><span>See All Key Ideas<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>In early mornings across rural Kenya, as the long rains approach, farmers are already at work. Fields are being cleared, seeds checked, and planting plans quietly rehearsed. But this year, alongside the usual uncertainties about soil quality, rain and pests, there is a more pressing question: will there be enough fertilizer, and will it be affordable?<\/p>\n<p>Reports from the Middle East echo through their favorite radio stations as they wonder about the war\u2019s effect on their lives. As tensions disrupt food, fuel and fertilizer flows through the Strait of Hormuz \u2014 a key artery for global exports and imports into Iran \u2014 Africa\u2019s dependence on imported synthetic inputs is once again exposed. For many countries, from 20% to more than 50% of fertilizer supplies originate from Persian Gulf nations. Besides the production of fertilizer, fossil fuels are also crucial for driving farming machinery such as tractors, irrigation pumps, and of course vehicles that transport food from farms to markets.<\/p>\n<p>Africa is aware of her vulnerability as a result of the war in Iran and the previous disruptions from COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, which have triggered policy and economic consequences. Frameworks such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/au.int\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/43779-doc-Action_Plan_Fertilizer_and_Soil_Health_E.pdf\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan 2024-2034<\/a> aim to reduce reliance on imports by fostering local production.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, the Dangote Group, which operates Africa\u2019s largest chemical fertilizer manufacturing complex, based in Nigeria, plans to triple its production to 9 million metric tons per annum. The group is also starting the construction of a $2 billion fertilizer plant in Ethiopia, to be completed by 2029, for producing 3 million tons annually.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_246382\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Eunice Manyi displays a pumpkin grown in an agroecology system at her farm in southern Kenya which produces its own biofertilizers. Image by David Njagi for Mongabay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>These local investments are likely to generate much-needed jobs for African youth, while reducing the dependence on global supply chains, which when disrupted have posed a major threat to <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/list\/food-security\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">food security<\/a> on the continent. On the other hand, the key scientific and pragmatic question is how much chemical fertilizer should be complemented with biological nitrogen fixation from leguminous crops and trees, as well as different forms of biomass such as compost and biochar, for a balanced soil microbiome that keeps farms sustainable in the long term. Considering how fragile most African soils are \u2014 with increasing soil acidity due to continuous use of chemical fertilizers \u2014 an optimal use of both chemical and <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s11356-023-30260-x\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">biofertilizers<\/a> is essential.<\/p>\n<p>But for the farmer preparing to plant, these solutions remain distant. Industrial plants take years to deliver impact, while smallholder farmers who produce up to 70% of Africa\u2019s food are forced to adapt in real time with little support as global development aid is being repurposed to defense.<\/p>\n<p>Investing in small and medium enterprises in Africa working closely with smallholder farmers to produce and use bio- and organic fertilizers offers an immediate and practical response. Such biofertilizers come from organic waste, left to rot in landfills, choking the air and the planet with methane, a potent greenhouse gas.<\/p>\n<p>But with technologies such as use of <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2021\/06\/a-startup-deploys-black-soldier-flies-in-the-philippines-war-on-waste\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">black soldier fly<\/a>, waste can be converted to biofertilizers in a matter of days, and the fly larvae are used by companies such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insectipro.com\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Insectipro<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chanzi.co\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Chanzi<\/a> to make animal feeds rich in proteins. It could also come from biochar, a rapidly evolving technology implemented by small to medium enterprises such as <a href=\"https:\/\/safiorganics.co.ke\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Safi Organics<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.regenorganics.co\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Regenorganics<\/a> that produce fertilizer from ligneous organic waste. Artificial intelligence- and solar power-driven technologies like <a href=\"https:\/\/ecorich.co.ke\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">EcoRich<\/a> can convert waste to fertilizer in 24 hours.<\/p>\n<p>Across rural Africa, youthful entrepreneurs are pushing the limits of innovation to find sustainable solutions for the continent. Raw materials already exist. Technologies are rapidly evolving. Youthful entrepreneurs creating jobs for themselves and their peers exist. With the right support in the form of training, financing, policies and coordination, farmers and local enterprises can produce fertilizers that are accessible, affordable, and suited to their environments.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_306094\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-306094\" src=\"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776708951_305_Strait-of-Hormuz-crisis-should-catalyze-African-biofertilizer-production-commentary.jpg\" alt=\"Community members Machinga District, Malawishow fruit trees that they hope will increase their incomes. Photo Credit: Sabin Ray, World Resources Institute\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776708951_305_Strait-of-Hormuz-crisis-should-catalyze-African-biofertilizer-production-commentary.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2025\/09\/16233404\/45803171222_06531f4156_k-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2025\/09\/16233404\/45803171222_06531f4156_k-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2025\/09\/16233404\/45803171222_06531f4156_k-350x233.jpg 350w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2025\/09\/16233404\/45803171222_06531f4156_k-610x407.jpg 610w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2025\/09\/16233404\/45803171222_06531f4156_k.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Farms that incorporate fruit-bearing and leguminous trees among crops like this in in Malawi increase soil fertility while boosting farm family nutrition and income. Image courtesy of Sabin Ray \/ World Resources Institute.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The benefits of this are long term, since biofertilizers do more than supply nutrients: they also rebuild soil health, improve soil structure, enhance water retention, restore microbial life, and increase organic matter. These are critical for sustaining productivity, and healthier soils are more resilient to climate shocks and less reliant on external inputs.<\/p>\n<p>There is an opportunity to link fertilizer production with bioenergy systems, too. Agricultural waste can be converted into biogas, providing clean energy and creating a circular system where waste becomes both energy and fertilizer.<\/p>\n<p>For the farmer standing in her field at dawn, the question is immediate: will she have what she needs to plant? The answer must be equally immediate and rooted in the strength and potential of our own solutions and soils.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Susan Chomba<\/em><\/strong><em> directs the Vital Landscapes program of the World Resources Institute (WRI), which works on forest protection and sustainable management, restoration, food systems transformation, and governance in Africa.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Banner image:<\/strong> Vegetables in a market in Lilongwe, Malawi. Image by Melissa Cooperman\/IFPRI via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>See related coverage:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"TrzfhmDmGC\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2026\/03\/in-malawi-farmers-rebuild-soil-and-livelihoods-through-agroecology\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">In Malawi, farmers rebuild soil and livelihoods through agroecology<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute , visibility: hidden ,\" title=\"\u201cIn Malawi, farmers rebuild soil and livelihoods through agroecology\u201d \u2014 Conservation news\" src=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2026\/03\/in-malawi-farmers-rebuild-soil-and-livelihoods-through-agroecology\/embed\/#?secret=d2anUBYrkT#?secret=TrzfhmDmGC\" data-secret=\"TrzfhmDmGC\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"EPg2GrGJzm\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2021\/06\/a-startup-deploys-black-soldier-flies-in-the-philippines-war-on-waste\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">A startup deploys black soldier flies in the Philippines\u2019 war on waste<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute , visibility: hidden ,\" title=\"\u201cA startup deploys black soldier flies in the Philippines\u2019 war on waste\u201d \u2014 Conservation news\" src=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2021\/06\/a-startup-deploys-black-soldier-flies-in-the-philippines-war-on-waste\/embed\/#?secret=mxVQBlencT#?secret=EPg2GrGJzm\" data-secret=\"EPg2GrGJzm\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"hY3hQCaLgD\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2026\/03\/shippings-biofuel-gamble-could-deepen-africas-land-squeeze-and-food-insecurity-commentary\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">Shipping\u2019s biofuel gamble could deepen Africa\u2019s land squeeze and food insecurity (commentary)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute , visibility: hidden ,\" title=\"\u201cShipping\u2019s biofuel gamble could deepen Africa\u2019s land squeeze and food insecurity (commentary)\u201d \u2014 Conservation news\" src=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2026\/03\/shippings-biofuel-gamble-could-deepen-africas-land-squeeze-and-food-insecurity-commentary\/embed\/#?secret=sgkG7p0hpx#?secret=hY3hQCaLgD\" data-secret=\"hY3hQCaLgD\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"ppBenXY006\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2021\/08\/farmers-regreen-kenyas-drylands-with-agroforestry-and-an-app\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">Farmers regreen Kenya\u2019s drylands with agroforestry and an app<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute , visibility: hidden ,\" title=\"\u201cFarmers regreen Kenya\u2019s drylands with agroforestry and an app\u201d \u2014 Conservation news\" src=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2021\/08\/farmers-regreen-kenyas-drylands-with-agroforestry-and-an-app\/embed\/#?secret=95Kpe9j4J5#?secret=ppBenXY006\" data-secret=\"ppBenXY006\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Citation:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ammar, E. E., Rady, H. A., Khattab, A. M., Amer, M. H., Mohamed, S. A., Elodamy, N. I., \u2026 Aioub, A. A. (2023). A comprehensive overview of eco-friendly bio-fertilizers extracted from living organisms. <em>Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30<\/em>(53), 113119-113137. doi:<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11356-023-30260-x\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">10.1007\/s11356-023-30260-x<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div id=\"single-article-footer\">\n<div class=\"container in-column about-editor-translator gap--40 pv--80\">\n<div class=\"container grid--3 repeat gap--40\">\n<div class=\"in-row gap--16\">\n<div class=\"author-avatar\">\n                    <img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Local-communities-are-conservations-most-undervalued-asset-commentary.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/af12bf65d24c9b6677fa5125044ed939da883258caf322b3fed185af87dcf4ab?s=64&#038;d=identicon&#038;r=g 2x\" class=\"avatar avatar-32 photo\" height=\"32\" width=\"32\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/>        <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p>                            <span class=\"article-comments\"><a href=\"\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\"\/><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As tensions disrupt food, fuel and fertilizers flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, Africa\u2019s dependence on imported synthetic inputs is once again exposed, since up to 50% of its fertilizer supplies originate in Persian Gulf nations. While Africa\u2019s largest chemical fertilizer manufacturer ramps up production to meet the continent\u2019s acute need, a key question becomes [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4083,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4082","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nature-biodiversity"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4082"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4082\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4084,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4082\/revisions\/4084"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}