Towards a sustainable phosphorus network in Africa

Global collaborative action for sustainable management of phosphorus is vital to ensure food production and the protection of water quality. This requires balancing competing phosphorus demands and a growing population through coordinated actions at local, national, regional and international scales. Phosphorus is mainly used in the agricultural sector as an essential nutrient for plant growth and animal feed. It is also used to a lesser extent in the food industry as an additive, as an additive in steel production and most recently in the production of lithium batteries for electric cars. Phosphorus is a finite resource, making its sustainable use a global priority. Yet, losses from the global phosphorus system risk pollution of aquatic ecosystems associated with biodiversity loss and human health risks associated with harmful algal blooms. While phosphorus supplies from reserves are not of immediate concern, there is nonetheless a need to ensure sustainable phosphorus use at the global level. Africa’s use of phosphorus fertilisers is sub-optimal, with a reported decline in phosphorus fertiliser use of about 233 % by the turn of the 21st century, and remains low. The Sustainable Phosphorus Summit (SPS) is the only global conference series supporting discourse on phosphorus sustainability spanning across the academic, agriculture, environmental, wastewater, policy and industry sectors. Since its inception in 2010, the SPS series has been held every 2–4 years on all continents – except Africa. The hosting of the 8th SPS (SPS8) in Accra, Ghana, will present an opportunity to set the agenda for sustainable phosphorus management in Africa, and to place African contexts into the global discussion. Being organised by different teams led by an African Local Organising Committee, SPS8 aims to pave the way towards the establishment of an African Sustainable Phosphorus Network, serving as a platform for collaboration, networking and knowledge co-creation and exchange to ensure sustainable phosphorus use in the region and beyond. Sustainable phosphorus management in Africa is feasible in the medium to long-term, with a focus on ensuring adequate phosphorus fertiliser availability, access and use, while minimising the environmental impacts from losses by matching soil-crop phosphorus needs and enhancing circular phosphorus use systems, and informing ecosystem recovery planning.