Opportunities to upgrade organic fertilizer value chains for sustained agricultural productivity gains in east and Southern Africa

There is consensus on the need to raise agricultural productivity growth in African agriculture. Not on how to do so sustainably. Organic soil health amendments are key. However, there is thin evidence on the state of, and opportunities to upgrade organic fertilizer value chains in Africa. We assessed these value chains in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia to identify challenges, and opportunities for upgrading to better contribute to sustained crop productivity growth. Using a multi-method approach, combining literature review, key informant interviews and focus group discussions, three key findings emerge. First, the organic fertilizer subsector remains underdeveloped across all three countries, accounting for less than 1% of total annual fertilizer consumption. Second, most are produced on-farm and/or in rudimentary production facilities with limited to no quality standards. Third, organic fertilizers cost more per kg of nutrient because they are less nutrient-dense than inorganic ones. For example, nitrogen in Urea costs about $1.26–2.39 per kg compared to $4.86–32.50 for most organic fertilizers. Including organic fertilizers as part of the national input subsidies provides the most rapid pathway to scale its use. Elsewhere, options include targeted short-term subsidies to stimulate demand, and tax incentives to crowd-in investments on the supply side.