Soil degradation threatens the very foundation of Africa’s agricultural future undermining productivity, food security, and resilience across the continent. In response, the Soil Initiative for Africa (SIA) launched by the African Union Commission and hosted at FARA is setting a unified continental framework for sustainable soil management. Its companion, the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan (AFSH-AP, 2023–2033), provides the operational roadmap to make that framework real.

But strategy alone doesn’t move soil.

Enter C4SEAS: A Coalition for Last-Mile Impact

Recognizing the critical role of extension systems in turning policy into practice, the Coalition for Strengthening Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services in Africa (C4SEAS) was born. Championed by the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) and coordinated by the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), this pan-African coalition is building the bridge between scientific recommendations and smallholder action.

As Dr. Stella Kabiri, SAA’s Lead on Regenerative Agriculture and C4SEAS Coordinator, puts it:

“If we fail at extension, we fail the entire Action Plan. There are no shortcuts. Scaling is both science and strategy.”

What Sets C4SEAS Apart

Unlike conventional implementers, SAA serves as a facilitator, convening leading institutions across agriculture, policy, and research. Partners include AGRA, IFAD, AFAP, CABI, World Soil Health/ISRIC, TAAT/CGIAR, EAFF, RUFORUM, and more. Together, they have launched C4SEAS as a “last-mile coalition”, focused on converting technical guidance into real-world impact.

C4SEAS is advancing four strategic workstreams:

1. Human Capital Development – Regional hubs (e.g., Makerere University, Segou, LUANAR) are training a new generation of soil-literate extension agents.

2. Digital Innovation – Harmonized tools use AI and site-specific data to deliver tailored advice, even in low-connectivity areas.

3. Policy Alignment – In Uganda, Nigeria, Ethiopia and beyond, C4SEAS supports Ministries of Agriculture in crafting AEAS investment roadmaps aligned with AFSH-AP.

4. Learning & Visibility – SAA curates knowledge from the ground to inform continental policy—and to ensure farmers’ voices are heard.

From Movement to Momentum

C4SEAS is more than a network, it’s a movement. And SAA, with its track record of reaching over 2.5 million farmers across 17 countries, is ensuring that this movement delivers measurable outcomes: healthier soils, better harvests, and more resilient rural communities.

As Elizabeth Nsimadala, President of EAFF, urged during a recent coalition meeting:

“We must not become a think-tank for experts talking to each other. We must be a movement for action. Farmers must see the benefits of this work in their soil, in their harvests, in their incomes.”

The Road Ahead: Urgency and Purpose

Looking forward, C4SEAS is committed to fast-tracking early wins, certified trainers, national dialogues, and harmonized digital tools, while laying the foundation for long-term reform. With SAA’s leadership, the coalition is not a technical side note to Africa’s soil agenda, it’s the engine driving it forward.

Related article:
1. SAA at the CGIAR Science Week 2025, Nairobi, Kenya.
2. Book Launch: “A Basket of Regenerative Agriculture Technologies for the Improvement of Soil Health in Africa: 50 Technologies for On-Farm Demonstrations”