Soil acidity negatively impacts a significant amount of Ethiopia’s arable land. So, the United States Government, through USAID’s Feed the Future Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture project, and OCP Ethiopia Fertilizers Manufacturing PLC (OCP-EFMC), a leading global producer of phosphate fertilizers, have joined forces to implement a demonstration aimed at treating acidic soils with innovative blends. By addressing the challenge of soil acidity, the two organizations aim to increase crop yields and farmer incomes, leading to improved food security.

Access to improved fertilizers and seeds is critical for farmers to produce food for Ethiopians and to generate surplus to improve their incomes. Access means fertilizer and seeds can reach farmers, markets are accessible, and peace and stability prevail to ensure that harvests can reach those markets.

To showcase the effectiveness of locally blended fertilizers in treating acidic soil, USAID Ethiopia Mission and Ministry of Agriculture officials visited a demonstration site in Malga, Sidama on October 18, 2024. The pre-scaling demonstration spans over 200 hectares across Oromia, Sidama, Central, and South West Ethiopia, engaging 600 smallholder farmers.

During the Field Day visit, attendees highlighted the effectiveness of these blended fertilizers and discussed strategies for scaling their use across regions affected by soil acidity to help smallholder farmers combat the problem.

USAID Acting Mission Director Timothy Stein noted that the collaboration between the USAID project and OCP-EFMC demonstrates the power of partnership in addressing agricultural challenges. “By improving soil health and boosting crop yields, we are also uplifting the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and enhancing food security across Ethiopia,” he said.

Dr. Sofia Kassa, State Minister for the Ministry of Agriculture, underscored the importance of soil health and fertilizer use in Ethiopia’s agricultural strategy. “Our goal over the next five years is to expand blended fertilizer production to approximately 200,000 metric tons annually, meeting 20 percent of Ethiopia’s total fertilizer requirements,” the state minister added.

USAID’s Feed the Future Ethiopia Transforming Agriculture activity, a five-year, $77 million project, is working to improve food security for 7 million people by partnering with OCP-EFMC to promote these locally blended fertilizers.