4R Nutrient Stewardship holds significant potential in addressing Africa’s agricultural challenges for its food crop production systems. Focusing on the right source, right rate, right time, and right place of nutrient application in farming practices, the 4R approach can help to optimize nutrient management, giving African farmers tailored strategies to improve fertilizer use efficiency, achieve better yields with higher quality, and enhance agricultural productivity.

4R knowledge is particularly crucial in Africa where nutrient use is low and imbalanced, and nutrient deficiencies are prevalent in most soils. Sustainable nutrient management practices, such as those promoted by the 4R approach, play a vital role in improving soil health, reducing nutrient losses to the surrounding environment, building climate resilience, and generating better outcomes for farmers and their communities.

The 4R Nutrient Stewardship concept defines the right source, rate, time, and place for fertilizer application as those producing the economic, social, and environmental outcomes desired by all stakeholders to the plant ecosystem.

Our expansion of knowledge on 4R Nutrient Stewardship involves capacity building initiatives and knowledge transfer activities targeted at farmers, extension agents, researchers, and policymakers. By providing training, technical assistance, and access to regionally valid 4R information, stakeholders can support the widespread adoption of 4R practices and ensure their effective implementation at scale.