The role of inclusivity in shaping soil health policies: reflections from Africa

Africa’s agricultural sector faces critical challenges, including soil degradation, inadequate capacity building, socio-economic barriers, and the persistent marginalization of women and youth. This talk explores how addressing these systemic issues requires evidence-based and transformative policy changes that place soil health at the centre of sustainable agricultural development. Prioritizing soil health is a strategic imperative for achieving agricultural resilience, food security, and economic prosperity across Africa’s diverse landscapes. This presentation will highlight key levers for transformative agricultural change, focusing on three interconnected aspects: effective policies, trusted multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs), and targeted research and development (R&D). First, the talk will emphasize the importance of evidence-based and inclusive policies to dismantle discriminatory norms and ensure equitable participation of women and youth in decision-making processes. Marginalized groups, particularly rural women, encounter compounded barriers such as unequal access to land, credit, and agricultural resources. Neglecting soil health worsens these inequalities, limiting economic opportunities and deepening social disparities. To address these challenges, this talk will emphasize the pivotal role of inclusive financial mechanisms in providing tailored opportunities to unlock agricultural potential. In this context, implementing effective gender-transformative policies with targeted incentives is crucial for empowering women and youth, who face systemic obstacles to accessing resources and financing. Second, the role of MSPs will be critically examined, ensuring the inclusion governments, private sector actors, non-governmental organizations, donors, and last, but not least, both male and female farmers. Unified, transparent collaboration among these stakeholders is essential to drive policy reforms and scale soil health initiatives effectively. The discussion will reflect how trusted MSPs build accountability, align resources, and create the conditions for scalable and sustainable interventions. The third pillar of this presentation will focus on targeted and trans-disciplinary R&D and its role in enabling inclusive and actionable interventions. Future policies must support R&D frameworks that provide the necessary evidence for informed decision-making, while integrating gender-transformative strategies and user-centred approaches. Moreover, by addressing the socio-economic and cultural contexts that influence soil health adoption, this talk will demonstrate how inclusive and trans-disciplinary R&D ensures that the needs and perspectives of women and marginalized groups are central to designing effective policy solutions. This talk will conclude with a call to action, highlighting that Africa's agricultural transformation requires robust, inclusive policies that leverage trusted partnerships and integrated research frameworks. By prioritizing soil health in policies and fostering equitable, collaborative approaches, resilient, sustainable, and inclusive agricultural systems across Africa can be achieved. In doing so, this talk will offer a valuable external reflection from an African perspective, providing novel insights that can inform and inspire prospective and inclusive policy-making in the national, international and European context.