Exploring the state of ex situ organic fertilizer and soil amendment production: an innovation systems analysis across eleven African countries

Many farming systems across Africa suffer from insufficient recir-culation and replenishment of nutrients and organic matter, contributing to soil degradation. At the same time the scant management of municipal organic waste, agro-pro cessing residues, and human excreta creates substantial exter-nalities. Valorizing organic waste and recycling it back to farmland could create a win-win situa tion. This exploratory, cross-sectional study investigated the current state and emerging trends in ex situ organic waste recycling toward organic fertil-izers and soil amendments (OFSA) across eleven African countries. The topic is timely, as recent disruptions in inorganic fertilizer supply chains may have height-ened interest in ex situ OFSA.