Onome Amuge
A crucial international summit is set to take place in Accra, Ghana, this September, bringing together scientists and policymakers to address the urgent need for sustainable phosphorus management. This nutrient, essential for global food production and increasingly vital for green technologies, is now at the center of a potential global crisis due to its status as a finite resource and a relevant environmental pollutant.
The 8th Sustainable Phosphorus Summit (SPS8), co-organised by Lancaster University, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Rothamsted Research, the Council for Scientific Research in Ghana, and the Forum for Agricultural Research Africa, marks the first time this global event has been held in Africa. This location is particularly significant, as the continent’s use of phosphorus in agriculture remains far below optimal levels, even as food demand is set to grow with a rising population.
Experts warn that without urgent investment and innovation, African food production could be jeopardised by population growth and the effects of climate change. The continent’s phosphorus use has declined sharply since the late 20th century, creating a critical need for new solutions.
However, Africa is also a hub for innovative solutions. Grace Kangara, one of the SPS8 organizers, noted that Africa boasts “some of the most locally adaptable soil fertility management innovations,” including Integrated Soil Fertility Management. The summit aims to bring these African voices to the forefront and ensure the continent has a fair say in designing sustainable solutions.
While pilot-scale sustainable practices, such as recycling biomass waste and monitoring water resources, exist across Africa, the primary challenge remains increasing fertiliser accessibility and optimising its application. This is considered crucial for improving farmer livelihoods and ensuring food security. For many smallholder farmers, traditional methods like using cattle manure are often not a practical solution due to limited livestock.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the world, particularly in high-income countries, inefficient use of phosphorus has led to widespread pollution. Runoff from agricultural lands contributes to toxic algal blooms in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters, which pose a threat to biodiversity and human health.
Although current reserves of phosphorus-rich rock are not at immediate risk of depletion, concerns are mounting over the long-term security and sustainability of the resource. The supply is unevenly distributed globally, and rising demand from other industries, such as lithium battery production, adds another layer of complexity.
Delegates at SPS8 are expected to focus on strategies to close the phosphorus loop.This includes reducing waste, improving fertiliser efficiency, and recovering phosphorus from wastewater and agricultural runoff.
The conference hopes to inspire a network of “Phosphorus Champions” to influence change across the continent and culminate in the formation of an African Sustainable Phosphorus Network (ASPN). As Phil Haygarth, Professor of Soil and Water Science at Lancaster University, stated, “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.”
