Greening Africa’s Soil: Why COP30 Could Be the Turning Point for Plant Nutrition in East and Southern Africa

At COP30, experts warned that East and Southern Africa cannot meet climate or food-security goals without reinventing plant nutrition (image source)

When delegates gathered under the humid Belém skies for COP30, most global attention centred on forests, fossil fuels, and climate finance. Yet in quieter corners of the summit—inside pavilions lined with soil samples, crop models, and renewable-energy schematics—a different revolution was taking shape: one rooted not in carbon markets but in the soil beneath Africa’s feet. A New Focus Beneath the Surface

Agricultural researchers, policy strategists, and development agencies arrived with a shared message: East and Southern Africa cannot meet climate goals or secure food systems without reinventing plant nutrition. This means treating fertilisers, energy inputs, soil health, and extension services as one interconnected system.

The urgency is clear. The region’s soils are losing nutrients faster than they are replaced; fertiliser prices continue to rise with global energy markets; and degraded land increasingly constrains yields as climate shocks intensify. A widely shared PLOS Climate essay underscored the point, arguing that greening plant nutrition is foundational to climate resilience. “Green plant nutrition is not a single technology,” a lead researcher reminded audiences. “It is a systems shift linking energy, soil health and farmer livelihoods.”

Three Pathways for a Soil Revolution

Experts at COP30 outlined three interlinked pathways shaping the future of African agriculture.

1. Green fertiliser production.

Africa imports most of its fertiliser, creating high costs and a large carbon footprint. Delegates pushed for decentralised regional production powered by solar, wind, and green hydrogen. Countries such as Namibia, South Africa, and Kenya already have hydrogen corridor pilots that could anchor this transformation.

2. Precision soil management.

Losses of nitrogen and phosphorus—the lifeblood of agriculture—remain alarmingly high. Soil-testing kits, digital advisory systems, and GPS-guided application tools are reducing waste in pilot communities. The goal is simple: feed the soil exactly what it needs, improving yields while cutting emissions.

3. Regenerative and climate-smart farming.

Conservation agriculture, composting, biochar, and agroforestry are increasingly recognised as core strategies rather than side projects. Healthy soils store carbon, retain water, and reduce erosion—critical functions as droughts and storms intensify. But the transition requires financing, policy alignment, and meaningful support for smallholders, who produce most of the region’s food but face the highest climate exposure.

Economic and Technological Momentum

Development economists say localised green fertiliser production could cut import bills, stabilise food systems, and build climate-aligned value chains. CGIAR scientists added that the region’s young innovators and agritech start-ups are well-positioned to scale soil-data systems and precision-agriculture tools.

By the end of COP30, a quiet consensus had formed: if the summit is remembered for anything in East and Southern Africa, it may be for planting the seeds of a new soil revolution—one that views the land not as a resource to be extracted but as a living climate partner.