As the morning sun streamed through the glass atrium of the Marriott Hotel in Berlin, the air was charged with purpose. Delegates from across continents had gathered—not merely to exchange pleasantries or policy briefs—but to confront a silent crisis beneath our feet: the degradation of our soils.
The Partners for Change – SOILusions for a Food Secure, Resilient, and Sustainable Future conference officially kicked off in Berlin, hosted by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Held from 20th to 22nd May, the three-day event brought together global stakeholders for a deep and urgent conversation on the future of soil health. The conference served as a platform to explore actionable pathways for soil protection and rehabilitation within the broader vision of transforming agricultural and food systems. It emphasized aligning these efforts with climate action agendas, promoting sustainable development, and leveraging partnerships; from governments and international institutions to local communities, for lasting, scalable impact.
At the heart of this movement is Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT), proudly represented by its Executive Director, Dr. David Amudavi, who arrived not just as a participant, but as a voice for African farmers, a champion of homegrown solutions, and a steward of change.
With the cadence of someone who has walked both policy corridors and village pathways, Dr. Amudavi reminded the world that transformation in agriculture isn’t planted in conference rooms but in fields and landscapes, in relationships, and in shared responsibility.
The conference pulsed with urgency. Climate change, hunger, land degradation; global challenges with a common denominator beneath them all: soil. But where others presented data, Amudavi offered direction. His call was more than technical; it was philosophical. “We must be farmer-centric,” he said. “That means asking: what do farmers need, what are their aspirations, and how do they think these can best be met?”
While taking his turn on the High-Level Panel: Taking SOILutions forward: Commitments for Scalable Impacts’ he introduced the concept of centricity—not as a buzzword, but as a compass. Being farmer-centric, partner-centric, process-centric and plan-centric, he argued, is essential to designing strategies that are not only effective but inclusive and just. “Each of us has a role to play,” he asserted, “and we need to level what our expectations are, what our contributions are in terms of resources, capabilities and experiences, so we add value or create value through the collaboration.”
Amudavi’s participation was more than symbolic; it was strategic. As a key player in continental initiatives like the CAADP biennial review process, BvAT is helping African countries build accountability through data, indicators, and evidence-based tracking of soil health commitments.
The conference also spotlighted the Convergence Initiative as a framework to guide shared action toward food security and environmental sustainability. Amudavi’s contributions echoed the need for resource partners to support these transitions at national and local levels; especially in developing countries where the stakes are highest and the margins for delay are thin.
He underscored the urgency: “This is why we are saying, let the African Fertiliser and Soil Health Summit outcomes help shape the indicators. If we get them right, we can integrate them into the Kampala CAADP Declaration and track real implementation progress.”
From the African Union Ecological Organic Agriculture Initiative to the BMZ/GIZ supported Knowledge Centre for Organic Agriculture, BvAT is championing ways to move beyond pilot projects. “It’s not just about starting good initiatives,” he cautioned. “It’s about sustaining them, scaling them, and ensuring they speak to the agriculture and food systems already working across the continent.”
On the sidelines of the conference, Amudavi engaged in high-level talks with Kenya’s Principal Secretaries Dr. Kiprono Rono Paul (State Department for Agriculture) and Dr. Idris Salim Dokota (State Department for Cabinet Affairs), alongside H.E. Stella Mokaya Orina (ambassador to Germany). Together, they explored how Kenya can deepen its soil restoration efforts and leverage the growing continental momentum.
The PS Dr. Rono reaffirmed the government’s commitment to embracing the outcomes of the Second Eastern Africa Agroecology Conference held in March this year. He emphasized the implementation of the Call to Action. He also expressed optimism about strengthening ties with civil society organizations, the private sector and international partners like GIZ, the European, especially through strategic programming that speaks to both our national and continental priorities.
Amudavi’s central message revolved around the quality of partnerships; instrumentally not just who is involved, but functionally how they engage and operationally what value they create. “Sometimes things don’t work out,” he cautioned, “not because the vision is wrong, but because the partnership hasn’t been managed properly.”
In his view, successful collaborations require structure, clarity of purpose, deep listening and responsive planning. “We must invest in the process,” he said. “Only then can we get the outcomes we all hope for; restored soil, resilient farmers, secure food systems.”
As delegates packed their bags and the last panels drew to a close, Amudavi left Berlin with a renewed sense of urgency and hope. He didn’t speak of grand revolutions, but of consistent cultivation of relationships, systems, and land. It’s not enough to plant ideas. They must be rooted in strategy, watered by collaboration (capabilities, experiences, funding, etc), and given time to grow in community and managed sustainably.
“Centricity,” he concluded, “has captured the mood of this conference.” It’s not just a framework, it’s a mindset. One that starts with the farmer, values every partner, aligns with the common action and plants every plan in soil that can sustain people, ecosystems, and futures alike.
And as Berlin’s spring sun fell gently on the city, it seemed even the soil might have been listening.
Prepared by: Simon Njoroge
