Fertilizers for food and nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa: An overview of soil health implications

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces chronic food insecurity associated with soil degradation and the peculiar aftermath of climate change exacerbated by rising population historically poor agricultural practices. Notably, use mineral fertilizers has potential to counteract in SSA; it drives an increased production required feed while sustaining quality health soils. However, limited financial resources deprive SSA promise fertilizers, wherein application rates are low, regimes characterized unbalanced nutrient composition fertilizer quality. Although current global is generally low efficiency, most affected due already usage available products. About 70% fertilizer-nitrogen lost through unregulated transformation ammonia, nitrous oxide, nitrate that either volatilized or emitted into atmosphere leached water bodies. Similarly, preponderance fertilizer-phosphorus via run-off leaching, unavailing plants overloading streams rivers and, together nitrate, causing eutrophication. These environmental problems accentuated where quantity issues a limiting factor. recent advances happening outside indicate nutrients, when strategically formulated, such as nano packaging, (bio)polymer encapsulation, tunable respond cues, can provide multiple outcomes, particularly, healthy soils higher productivity. Therefore, presumably, proper synthesis gamut properties influencing plant release availability, options for exposure uptake critical realizing these benefits SSA. Despite possibilities, there lack deeper context on fertilizer-related they affect nutrition security This paper provides overview fertilizer-nutrient agronomic, challenges opportunities, which though not exclusive per se, be reasoned peculiarity region. impetus increase improve health, sustainable crop production,