Closing yield gap for sustainable food security in Sub-Saharan Africa – progress, challenges, and opportunities

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains food insecure despite having a climatic and biophysical potential to grow the crops to meet its growing food demand. Closing yield gap presents an opportunity to increase agricultural productivity in SSA for food security and economic stability in line with SDG 2 and...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Ongoma, V., Brouziyne, Youssef, Bouras, E. H., Chehbouni, A.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Frontiers Media 2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/174857
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author Ongoma, V.
Brouziyne, Youssef
Bouras, E. H.
Chehbouni, A.
author_browse Bouras, E. H.
Brouziyne, Youssef
Chehbouni, A.
Ongoma, V.
author_facet Ongoma, V.
Brouziyne, Youssef
Bouras, E. H.
Chehbouni, A.
author_sort Ongoma, V.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains food insecure despite having a climatic and biophysical potential to grow the crops to meet its growing food demand. Closing yield gap presents an opportunity to increase agricultural productivity in SSA for food security and economic stability in line with SDG 2 and 1. This work looks into the three main drivers of yield gap in SSA: water, fertilizer, and management practices, pointing out the challenges and opportunities for closing the gap. Rainwater is a good source of water, especially in tropical areas, and there is a need for its harvesting and conservation. Fertilizer use is still low (~20 kg/ha), and has to be increased while managing fertilizer nutrients effectively supported by locally developed computer-based decision support systems, for high crop yields. Latest commitments by African Union to increase local production, and supply, and reduce fertilizer costs is commendable. Adopting new crop varieties that are adapted to local conditions and resistant to drought and diseases, as well as improving good management practices backed by extension services are essential to maximizing crop yield and strengthening resilience in the face of environmental challenges. This calls for good leadership, backed up with good policies and political goodwill.
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spelling CGSpace1748572025-12-08T10:29:22Z Closing yield gap for sustainable food security in Sub-Saharan Africa – progress, challenges, and opportunities Ongoma, V. Brouziyne, Youssef Bouras, E. H. Chehbouni, A. food security yield gap sustainable development agricultural productivity climate change Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains food insecure despite having a climatic and biophysical potential to grow the crops to meet its growing food demand. Closing yield gap presents an opportunity to increase agricultural productivity in SSA for food security and economic stability in line with SDG 2 and 1. This work looks into the three main drivers of yield gap in SSA: water, fertilizer, and management practices, pointing out the challenges and opportunities for closing the gap. Rainwater is a good source of water, especially in tropical areas, and there is a need for its harvesting and conservation. Fertilizer use is still low (~20 kg/ha), and has to be increased while managing fertilizer nutrients effectively supported by locally developed computer-based decision support systems, for high crop yields. Latest commitments by African Union to increase local production, and supply, and reduce fertilizer costs is commendable. Adopting new crop varieties that are adapted to local conditions and resistant to drought and diseases, as well as improving good management practices backed by extension services are essential to maximizing crop yield and strengthening resilience in the face of environmental challenges. This calls for good leadership, backed up with good policies and political goodwill. 2025-05 2025-05-28T14:08:45Z 2025-05-28T14:08:45Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/174857 en Open Access Frontiers Media Ongoma, V.; Brouziyne, Youssef; Bouras, E. H.; Chehbouni, A. 2025. Closing yield gap for sustainable food security in Sub-Saharan Africa – progress, challenges, and opportunities. Frontiers in Agronomy, 7:1572061. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2025.1572061
spellingShingle food security
yield gap
sustainable development
agricultural productivity
climate change
Ongoma, V.
Brouziyne, Youssef
Bouras, E. H.
Chehbouni, A.
Closing yield gap for sustainable food security in Sub-Saharan Africa – progress, challenges, and opportunities
title Closing yield gap for sustainable food security in Sub-Saharan Africa – progress, challenges, and opportunities
title_full Closing yield gap for sustainable food security in Sub-Saharan Africa – progress, challenges, and opportunities
title_fullStr Closing yield gap for sustainable food security in Sub-Saharan Africa – progress, challenges, and opportunities
title_full_unstemmed Closing yield gap for sustainable food security in Sub-Saharan Africa – progress, challenges, and opportunities
title_short Closing yield gap for sustainable food security in Sub-Saharan Africa – progress, challenges, and opportunities
title_sort closing yield gap for sustainable food security in sub saharan africa progress challenges and opportunities
topic food security
yield gap
sustainable development
agricultural productivity
climate change
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/174857
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AT brouziyneyoussef closingyieldgapforsustainablefoodsecurityinsubsaharanafricaprogresschallengesandopportunities
AT bouraseh closingyieldgapforsustainablefoodsecurityinsubsaharanafricaprogresschallengesandopportunities
AT chehbounia closingyieldgapforsustainablefoodsecurityinsubsaharanafricaprogresschallengesandopportunities