Lack of affordable fertilizers in Africa is the main reason for low agricultural yields in the region and is a primary driver of food insecurity. A ton of urea fertilizer that costs $90 in Europe costs $120 in Mombasa, $400 in West Kenya, and $700 in Malawi — largely because of transportation costs. These prices restrict fertilizer use, lowering agricultural output and contributing to food scarcity.
FUEL FREEDOM AS ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS
Instead of importing prohibitively expensive fertilizer from abroad, Africans could expand fertilizer production at home, through natural gas and the use of biochar. Fertilizer production requires large quantities of natural gas. The gas currently being flared at oil sites in sub Saharan Africa could instead be converted, at the source, to a viable fertilizer. Biochar — a soil enhancer that’s been used in agriculture for the past 2,000 years — can increase crop yields by helping soil retain water and nutrients. This will drive down food costs and reduce the need to import fertilizers. Also, biochar is a co-product of biofuel production, meaning Africans could make fuel for their cars and fertilizer for their soil at the same time!