Nutrient recovery and recycling as a sustainable strategy for improving soil fertility in Africa: Progress and challenges

Sub-Saharan Africa’s agricultural productivity is threatened by declining soil fertility and limited access to fertilizer, leading to food insecurity and malnutrition. This review assesses nutrient recovery technologies (NRRTs) as sustainable solutions that promote circular bioeconomy practices and restore soil health. The study examines key nutrient recovery technologies, including manure application, crop rotation, composting, vermicomposting, anaerobic digestion, wastewater reclamation, microalgae cultivation, and biochar production. Findings show that community-level adoption of NRRTs is growing, but progress remains slow due to high fertilizer costs, limited technical capacity, and weak institutional frameworks that continue to hinder adoption and implementation. Broader adoption of NRRTs in Africa requires decentralized infrastructure, policy reforms, farmer training, and research collaboration to build soil fertility, strengthen food security, and enhance environmental resilience.