Project profile — Africa fertilizer financing mechanism

This project aims to increase smallholder farmers’ sustainable agricultural productivity and incomes, including women and youth in Africa. It seeks this through the Africa Fertilizer Financing Mechanism, a special fund established by the African Union`s member states and managed by the African Development Bank. Project activities include: (1) providing financial products and support (i.e., credit guarantees) to targeted small and medium enterprises. It does so to improve smallholder farmers’ access to fertilizers and other critical inputs, particularly for food crops; (2) supporting the advocacy and development of policy reforms to enhance fertilizers availability and productivity and soil health; and (3) facilitating smallholder farmers (including women and youth) access to inputs, technical assistance, and extension services to improve food production, revenues and soil health. The project aims to increase the productivity of three selected strategic commodities by a minimum of 30%. It does so through adopting better fertilization and plant health plans. The project seeks to reach a minimum of 800,000 farmers (at least 40% women). It also seeks to support at least three policy and regulatory reform initiatives in selected countries. These initiatives address the legal, structural, and technical challenges of accessing and using fertilizers and soil, health and safety, and environmental stewardship and advocacy.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) improved soil health and fertility for sustainable agriculture production in eligible countries; (2) improved livelihood of smallholder farmers, including women and youth, by improving the input supply chain in eligible countries; and (3) improved policies and regulatory instruments for promoting gender-sensitive and sustainable soil management practices in eligible countries.

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