Just three months after formalizing a strategic partnership under the Coalition of Implementors for Fertilizers and Soil Health (CIFSH), the Soil Values program and the Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel convened stakeholders on May 21 for a results-focused webinar showcasing how collaboration is already translating into action across the Sahel.
The webinar, entitled “From Signature to Soil: Turning Partnership into Results,” brought together 268 participants from West Africa, Europe, and beyond, including consortium members, technical experts, development partners, research institutions, and implementing organizations. The session reflected a growing commitment among institutions to move beyond parallel interventions toward more coordinated and complementary action on soil health and sustainable agriculture.
The webinar built on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on February 26 at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria. The agreement marked the operational launch of a strategic collaboration between the Regional Hub and the Soil Values program to accelerate soil health restoration, strengthen soil information systems, and improve sustainable fertilizer use across the Sahel.
Institutions represented during the webinar included IFDC, SNV, Wageningen University and Research (WUR), AGRA, the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), ISRIC – World Soil Information, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), OCP Africa, and other members of CIFSH, reflecting the breadth of collaboration underpinning the initiative.
“We have to show good examples of unity, coming together and joining forces to combat issues facing our population. If this model of cooperation works in these four countries, it could be a very good example to emulate in other geographies of West Africa.”
Lionel Axel Kadja, Regional Hub Director
Moderated by Barbra Muzata, Communications Lead for the Regional Hub, and co-hosted by Haoua Ango Sawadogo, Communications and Knowledge Management Manager for the Soil Values program, the 60-minute session highlighted how both initiatives are aligning technical expertise, investments, and field-level implementation efforts to address soil degradation and strengthen food systems resilience.
Opening the session, Soil Values Deputy Program Director for Partnership Nassourou Diallo emphasized that many countries in West Africa continue to face challenges related to fragmented soil information systems, weak laboratory capacity, and limited coordination among institutions.
He explained that the partnership between Soil Values and the Regional Hub was designed to bridge these gaps through joint actions, including development of soil information systems, technical support, and fertilizer recommendations adapted to crops and soils. The two initiatives are also collaborating on digital soil mapping, nutrient recommendation systems, and data management.
Medinah Ayuba Fagbemi, Soil Values Country Coordinator for Nigeria, presented concrete progress already underway through these joint activities in Nigeria’s Komadugu-Yobe and Yartiti watersheds.
Fagbemi pointed out that standardized multi-layer soil sampling has been conducted across the watersheds, digital fertilizer recommendations using nutrient omission trials have been established for maize and rice, and the first versions of digital soil maps and nutrient recommendation tools are under development to support evidence-based soil fertility management. Additionally, soil degradation hotspots are being identified to guide restoration interventions.
Speaking on the partnership’s broader regional vision, Soil Values Program Director Alain Sy Traoré indicated that the experiences and successes generated in the initial intervention countries of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Northern Nigeria are expected to serve as replicable models across the wider West African region.
He emphasized that while current interventions are focused on the Sahel – the area most affected by climate shocks and land degradation – expansion is already underway toward countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, and Togo.
Regional Hub Director Lionel Axel Kadja echoed Traoré, stressing the importance of coordinated action to address the challenges affecting nearly 500 million people across the region. Kadja said, “We have to show good examples of unity, coming together and joining forces to combat issues facing our population. If this model of cooperation works in these four countries, it could be a very good example to emulate in other geographies of West Africa.”
Kadja also noted that soil health must be treated not only as an agricultural issue, but also as a shared societal and human responsibility requiring collective action.
This webinar marks the beginning of a structured series of technical engagements aimed at strengthening regional collaboration and accelerating impact across the Sahel, including a forthcoming session focused on pathways for scaling, policy integration across countries, and the Bundle Box model – an approach designed to integrate multiple types of services and technologies, connecting farmers with agricultural services, financial institutions, agro-input suppliers, and technical support systems.
As implementation expands, the partnership is increasingly focused on acceleration, ensuring that shared tools, coordinated investments, and joint learning translate into measurable improvements in soil health and agricultural productivity across West Africa and the Sahel.
About the Soil Values Program
Funded by the Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS), the Soil Values program addresses persistent soil fertility challenges in the Sahel region, namely Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, northern Nigeria, with strategic countries: Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Soil Values Program aims to strengthen soil fertility and agricultural productivity, in the face of climate change, with a focus on regional connectivity and strategic interventions. The program aspires to create a lasting impact on desertification and land degradation, landscape management – watersheds through participatory planning, effectively integrating soil, water and biodiversity. Soil Values plans to promote financial incentive instruments that encourage farmers to invest in soil health through the adoption of sustainable soil management practices.
The Soil Values program is being implemented over 10 years (2024-2033), led by IFDC, in consortium with SNV and Wageningen University and Research (WUR), as well as knowledge partners such as AGRA, the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), ISRIC – World Soil Information, and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
About the Regional Hub
The Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel is a collaborative initiative that brings together leading research, development, and private-sector partners to deliver science-driven solutions for sustainable agriculture. Hosted by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and supported by organizations including IFDC, the African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI), Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), OCP Africa, Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA), and ISRIC – World Soil Information, the Hub leverages data, soil testing, and fertilizer technologies to enhance productivity, efficiency, and resilience across regional food systems. With financial backing from the World Bank through CGIAR’s AICCRA project and OCP Africa, the Hub is committed to translating research into actionable solutions for farmers and policymakers, promoting long-term soil health, food security, and sustainable development for West Africa and the Sahel.
