NAIROBI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Africa's agricultural experts on Monday called for joint efforts to hasten the restoration of soil health and boost crop yield.

The experts noted that the current poor state of soil negatively affects the continent's agri-food system's resilience and ability to strengthen sustainable intensification to improve food self-sufficiency.

"We must go beyond resolutions and summit decisions to embrace new modalities of engagement to change the current trend of managing soil in the continent," Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) remarked on the sidelines of the Eleventh Annual Summit of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Nairobi.

Akinbamijo urged agriculture scientists to look at soil as a source of livelihood by focusing on its environmental and economic implications to help address the perennial food insecurity in the continent.

He said that to avoid soil degeneration, all stakeholders are required to play a role in reversing the trend.

Mandla Nkomo, chief growth officer at the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) excellence in agronomy 2030 urged governments to equip frontline staff to help make bold policy choices and save soil from getting depleted.

He noted that farmers must be advised regularly because they can either become enemies of the soil or improve its health.

He blamed the poor state of soil and root health on application of external knowledge as opposed to embracing readily available knowledge from farmers.

Michael Misiko, regenerative agriculture director at the Nature Conservancy in Kenya called on countries to embrace nature-based solutions like intercropping to save soil from wind and rainfall runoffs.

Misiko noted that without roots, plants are unable to get food hence cannot pass carbon to the soil and aggravates climate change.

The experts called on governments and other stakeholders to act now on soil and root health to support recovery and resilience, meet the evolving challenges and unlock Africa's potential.

Kenya is hosting this year's AGRF Summit which aims to elevate the single coordinated African voice to the UN Food Systems Summit and identify immediate actions and steps that need to be taken to accelerate progress and recovery toward inclusive agricultural transformation.