SEO Riders:
– IITA-led Regional Hub launches site‑specific fertiliser models using AgWise to boost crop nutrition.
– Target countries include Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Sierra Leone and Liberia—with trials on rice, maize and cassava.
– Tool tailors fertiliser blends by soil profile and farmer budget, aligning with climate‑smart agriculture goals.
Across West Africa and the Sahel, the Regional Hub for Fertiliser and Soil Health, spearheaded by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) under an ECOWAS‑backed program, has launched advanced xata‑driven modelling tools to help smallholder farmers optimize fertilizer use and restore soil health. The initiative addresses nutrient mining and inefficient fertiliser application—a challenge many farmers face due to poor soil data and one‑size‑fits‑all cropping advice. Utilizing agronomic trials and geospatial data, the Hub tailors site‑specific nutrient recommendations for crops like maize, rice, and cassava.
Central to the effort is AgWise, a free, open‑source decision‑support platform that merges agronomic, satellite, climate, and market data to generate precise fertiliser prescriptions aligned with the 4R nutrient stewardship principle—right source, rate, time, and place. In field trials across Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Togo and Liberia, the Hub uses nutrient omission trials to quantify soil deficiencies and model economically-scaled recommendations—enabling farmers to plan fertiliser investment based on cost ceilings. The rollout is projected to continue over the next decade, targeting millions of hectares and contributing to stronger food security and climate resilience across national food systems.
