Under the high patronage of the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock (MINEAGRIE), on May 03, 2024, the Soil Fertility Platform in Burundi was officially launched.

In fact, more than 90% of the Burundian population lives from agriculture. For successful agriculture, soil is an essential factor. In addition, Burundi has a fragile soil due to its topography, overexploitation of the soil and the acidity of the soil. To support the agricultural sector, a soil fertility platform was created. The latter is the result of an initiative by the consortium (CSA, BD, CAPAD and ADISCO) within the framework of the Tubungabunge Isi Ndimwa project financed by the European Union.

The role of the said platform is to:

• Serve as a strategic framework for meetings and dialogue on soil fertility;
• Serve as a forum for exchange and the development of synergies by various actors in the agricultural sector;
• Strengthen the focus on agroecological practices and soil management, thus making it possible to fertilize, restore and sustainably protect the soil and ensure the biodiversity of the organisms that inhabit it;
• Take into account environmental degradation, climate change and the low incomes of small-scale family farmers.

The objectives of the platform are to:

1. Establish a framework for meetings and exchanges between actors (public and private) working in the agricultural sector to share good practices on sustainable and environmentally friendly land management, daily experiences as well as learning considered appropriate on the management of soil fertility in Burundi;
2. Strengthen collaboration between actors and create possible synergies necessary in order to promote soil fertility management;
3. Support research, field experimentation and the validation of fertilizers to best meet the challenges of soil fertility in Burundi, including the problem of soil acidity, and with formulations that are specific (locality of the country);
4. Support research, field experimentation, validation and use of organic fertilizers and bio-inputs, in the spirit of supporting the transition to agroecology;
5. Harmonize the approaches of stakeholders in terms of soil fertility in Burundi, in particular in terms of the manufacture of organic fertilizers on a large scale.

The actors of the platform are:

• Key state institutions: MINEAGRIE, DGA, DFS, DFS, DFS, DGMAVA, ISABU, DGREA, BPEAES, OBPE, FABI;
• Foreign and international NGOs;
• Local NGOs;
• United Nations Systems: FAO;
• The private sector: Universities, Businesses, Researchers, Specialized Technicians;
• Leaders of POs (producers' organizations);
• Administration and local elected officials;
• Media and other organizations involved in the agricultural sector.