News

• The Fertilizer and Seed Recommendation Map for West Africa (FeSeRWAM) and updated Agricultural Input Packages (AIP) will be launched virtually on August 25, 2022.
• The initial version launched on September 22, 2020 has been updated to introduce new features and improve the user experience.
• The FeSeRWAM and PIA tool provides important site-specific technical information on recommended improved seeds, appropriate fertilizers and good farming practices to promote sustainable increases in agricultural production and productivity.
• The initiative is funded by USAID through the Feed the Future EnGRAIS and PAIRED projects, implemented by IFDC and CORAF respectively.

August 22, 2022 - Two major Feed the Future regional projects are to launch the second version of an innovative online tool designed to help players in the agricultural value chain, particularly smallholders, access essential information on agricultural inputs. The Fertilizer and Seed Recommendation Map for West Africa(https://feserwam.org/fr) is a geo-referenced web platform that provides recommendations to increase the demand for and use of appropriate fertilizers, improved seed varieties and good agricultural practices in order to increase agricultural productivity in West Africa.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has funded this initiative as part of the Feed the Future Enhancing Growth through Regional Agricultural Input Systems for West Africa(EnGRAIS) project, and the Partnership for Research, Education and Development in West Africa(PAIRED), respectively implemented by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF).

"With this innovative tool, key stakeholders, including extension agents and agricultural input dealers, will be able to provide appropriate recommendations on key crops and varieties with high adoption potential that can help improve agricultural production, increase farmers' incomes and contribute to the food and nutritional security of vulnerable households across West Africa," said Dr Oumou CAMARA, IFDC Regional Director for North and West Africa.

"A tool such as FeSeRWAM comes at the right time to address the many challenges our farmers face in their efforts to sustainably increase agricultural yields, based on appropriate recommendations and support. Stakeholders need to embrace this tool and work to encourage its adoption across the region," said Dr Emmanuel NJUKWE, CORAF's Director of Research and Innovation.

The FeSeRWAM platform currently provides over 900 AIPs on 27 crops and 771 seed varieties for 13 countries, enabling over 600,000 farmers in West Africa and Chad to increase their agricultural productivity and improve their well-being.

Thanks to a collaborative process that took place between October 2018 and July 2020, the development of the original platform involved over 350 strategic stakeholders from various national and regional organizations.

Based on user feedback, the projects and partners have embarked on an update of the platform in 2021 to improve the user experience, interface and data, and take into account new advances in terms of high-potential varieties and fertilizer products in various countries.

FeSeRWAM is designed and oriented to benefit : 

• Agricultural retailers and extension agents, to identify AIPs adapted to their specific agro-ecological zone (AEZ), which can be used as support and training material for farmers.
• Politicians and decision-makers, to select AIPs for grant programs. 
• Researchers, to adapt one country's AIP to another country's specific agro-ecological zone.
• Fertilizer manufacturers, so that they can use nutrient requirements as a basis for selecting the right raw materials to manufacture site-specific fertilizers.
• Farmers, so that they can use new technologies to increase agricultural yields.

When used correctly, the tool will help to increase agricultural productivity and production in a sustainable way to improve food security in West Africa and Chad. 

An online launch event will take place on August 25, 2022.

About USAID: USAID is an independent agency providing economic, humanitarian and development assistance worldwide in support of U.S. foreign policy objectives. For more information, visit www.usaid.gov.

About IFDC: An independent, not-for-profit organization, IFDC combines innovative research, market systems development and strategic partnerships to identify and scale up sustainable soil solutions to improve food security and livelihoods worldwide. To find out more, visit: ifdc.org.

About CORAF: CORAF is an international non-profit organization working to improve prosperity, food security and nutrition in West and Central Africa. For more information, visit www.coraf.org.