Sustainable soil management is emerging as one of Africa’s most urgent development priorities as climate change, population growth and rapid urbanization intensify pressure on agricultural land. In Mali, declining soil fertility is increasingly viewed not only as an agricultural challenge but also as a threat to food security, climate resilience and public health.
Speaking following activities to mark World Soil Day 2025, Professor Bocar Ahamadou Touré, Country Director of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in Mali, stressed that effective soil restoration cannot succeed without strong and coherent public policy frameworks.
The 2025 World Soil Day theme “Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities” reflects growing concern over land degradation beyond rural farming zones. According to Touré, urban soils are increasingly under strain due to expanding cities, pollution, land sealing and shrinking green spaces.
He explained that degraded soils lose critical ecological functions such as water retention, biodiversity preservation and temperature regulation, all of which directly affect food systems and human health. In Mali, where agricultural production remains central to livelihoods, the link between rural soil health and urban food consumption is particularly strong.
“Soil is a fragile and non-renewable resource,” Touré noted, adding that protecting it is essential for building climate-resilient cities and sustainable agricultural systems.
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Central to Mali’s response is the National Roadmap for Soil Fertility and Health, a strategic framework supported by AGRA to coordinate national efforts toward restoring soil productivity. The roadmap aligns with continental commitments adopted during the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit 2023, which outlined priority actions for improving soil fertility across Africa over the next decade.
The framework also draws from earlier African agricultural commitments, including the Maputo Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security and the Abuja Declaration on Fertilizers for an African Green Revolution, both aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and investment.
Touré emphasized that national ownership remains critical. Each country must translate continental ambitions into practical policies adapted to local realities. In Mali, the soil health roadmap is aligned with long-term national development planning under the Mali 2063 vision and its medium-term agricultural strategies.
AGRA’s role, he explained, is catalytic rather than operational. The organization supports government institutions in strengthening regulations, improving oversight systems and ensuring quality control for agricultural inputs such as certified seeds and fertilizers.
Improving farmers’ access to quality inputs remains a major priority. Touré highlighted the importance of well-designed subsidy programmes that promote both mineral and organic fertilizers while encouraging balanced soil nutrition practices.
Beyond inputs, AGRA promotes Integrated Soil Fertility Management combining organic matter, mineral fertilizers and agroecological practices suited to Sahelian conditions. Techniques such as composting, crop rotation, intercropping and soil-water conservation are being tested and scaled through partnerships with research institutions and local extension services.
Capacity building at the grassroots level is another pillar of the strategy. Farmers receive hands-on training through demonstration farms and advisory programmes to ensure innovations move beyond research institutions into real agricultural practice.
Youth participation also forms a key component of AGRA’s long-term approach. By working with universities and youth-led initiatives, the organization seeks to develop a new generation of agricultural advisors, entrepreneurs and service providers focused on sustainable land management.
Touré stressed that coordination among stakeholders including government agencies, farmer associations, women’s groups, researchers and private-sector actors is essential to ensure measurable progress.
Ultimately, he warned that technical solutions alone are insufficient.
“Without clear policies, institutional leadership and consistent monitoring,” he said, “sustainable soil management will remain impossible.”
As climate pressures mount across the Sahel, Mali’s experience highlights a broader continental lesson: restoring soil health is not only an environmental necessity but a foundation for long-term economic stability, food security and resilience across Africa.
