Agriculture ministers from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened an extraordinary virtual meeting on Sunday, March 23, 2026, to address a severe regional fertilizer crisis. The ministers declared a state of emergency, citing skyrocketing prices that are severely impacting farmers and threatening food security across the bloc.
The crisis is driven by a combination of global supply chain disruptions, high energy costs, and currency devaluations in several member states. The price of key fertilizers like urea and NPK has more than doubled in some countries compared to last year, putting the upcoming planting season at risk.
In response, ECOWAS has activated its regional food security reserve and is fast-tracking plans to boost local fertilizer production. The body is also negotiating with international partners and fertilizer producers to secure affordable supplies on a regional scale to mitigate the immediate shortage.
The ministers warned that without urgent intervention, the crisis could lead to a significant drop in cereal production, exacerbating hunger and malnutrition in a region already grappling with instability and climate shocks. They called for coordinated national and regional policies to support vulnerable farming communities.
