Organic Fertilizer: Soil Restoration Granules

Organic Fertilizer -manufactured in Africa for Africa

OFMB Granules is a high-performance organic fertilizer manufactured in Africa from a specialized blend of composted cattle manure, gypsum, and carbon-rich materials. The granulated formulation provides a slow-release source of nutrients while improving soil organic matter, soil structure, and water retention.

The technology supports the restoration of soil fertility through enhanced biological activity and natural nutrient cycling. By utilizing locally available organic resources, it contributes to the rehabilitation of degraded agricultural land and strengthens the productive capacity of farming systems. Its granulated form allows efficient application using existing fertilizer distribution and application systems, facilitating integration into large-scale agricultural and land restoration initiatives.

This technology is pre-validated.

9•9

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 9/9; level of use 9/9

Positive impacts: 16

Target Groups	Positive Impacts
Women smallholder farmers on degraded soils	Restores soil organic matter and soil fertility on degraded land. Improves soil structure and biological activity. Increases the productive capacity of existing farmland. Supports more stable crop production over time
Smallholder farmers in drought-prone areas	Improves soil water-holding capacity during dry periods. Enhances moisture retention and nutrient availability. Strengthens resilience to drought and rainfall variability. Supports more reliable crop performance under climate stress.
Low-income farmers unable to invest in long-term soil restoration	Improves nutrient-use efficiency through gradual nutrient release. Reduces nutrient losses through leaching and volatilization. Maximizes the value of limited investments in soil fertility. Supports progressive restoration of soil productivity.
Smallholder farmers in remote areas with limited access to soil diagnostics and advisory services	Provides an easy-to-apply soil fertility solution. Improves soil health and nutrient retention. Supports long-term soil productivity. Strengthens production stability in underserved farming systems.

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Unintended impacts: 8
Mitigations: 11

Barriers: 8
Mitigations: 11

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

OFMB Organic Granules demonstrate high climate adaptability by improving the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. The technology increases soil organic matter, stimulates beneficial microbial activity, and improves soil water-holding capacity, enabling crops to better withstand drought and rainfall variability. By restoring soil functionality and enhancing natural nutrient cycling through a 100% organic formulation, it strengthens the resilience of agricultural production systems while supporting sustainable soil management and climate-smart agriculture. The increase in soil organic matter may also contribute to long-term soil carbon sequestration, a recognized co-benefit of sustainable organic soil management, although this potential has not been specifically quantified for OFMB Organic Granules. Together, these characteristics justify a High climate adaptability rating.

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

This assessment is based on the technology's ability to strengthen farmers' capacity to adapt to changing climatic conditions while being practical and accessible to farmers. OFMB Organic Granules improve soil organic matter, stimulate beneficial microbial activity, and increase soil water-holding capacity, enabling crops to better withstand drought and rainfall variability. By restoring soil functionality and improving nutrient-use efficiency, the technology supports more stable crop production under increasingly unpredictable climatic conditions. Its safe, 100% organic formulation and compatibility with standard fertilizer application equipment enable farmers to adopt climate-smart soil management practices without requiring specialized technical skills, expensive infrastructure, or personal protective equipment. Together, these characteristics significantly strengthen farmers' adaptive capacity and support the development of more resilient and sustainable farming systems.

Biodiversity: Positive impact on biodiversity

This assessment is based on the technology's ability to restore and enhance soil biological functions while supporting ecosystem functioning. OFMB Organic Granules increase soil organic matter and stimulate beneficial microbial activity, creating healthier soils that support below-ground biodiversity and essential ecosystem processes. As a 100% organic fertilizer, the technology promotes natural nutrient cycling and sustainable soil management while reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizer inputs. Improved soil health strengthens the resilience of agricultural ecosystems and supports the ecological functions essential for long-term agricultural productivity. While direct impacts on above-ground biodiversity, such as pollinators or wildlife, have not been specifically verified, the technology makes a positive contribution to soil biodiversity and the ecosystem functions that sustain productive farming systems.

Carbon footprint: A bit less carbon released

This assessment is based on the technology's potential to reduce the carbon footprint of agricultural production through sustainable soil fertility management. OFMB Organic Granules are produced from organic materials and increase soil organic matter, supporting natural nutrient cycling while reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizer inputs. The increase in soil organic matter may also contribute to long-term soil carbon sequestration, a recognized co-benefit of sustainable organic soil management. These characteristics indicate a positive contribution toward lower carbon emissions compared with conventional fertilizer-dependent systems. However, because the technology has not been evaluated through a life-cycle assessment (LCA) or quantified greenhouse gas emission studies, the available evidence supports A bit less carbon released rather than Much less carbon released.

Environmental health: Greatly improves environmental health

This assessment is based on the technology's strong contribution to improving environmental health through sustainable soil fertility management. OFMB Organic Granules are a 100% organic, non-hazardous, and biodegradable fertilizer that restores soil biological activity, increases soil organic matter, and supports natural nutrient cycling. By reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizer inputs, the technology promotes healthier soils and more sustainable agricultural production while lowering potential environmental risks associated with intensive chemical fertilizer use. Improved soil health also strengthens ecosystem functioning and supports the long-term sustainability of agricultural landscapes. Although broader environmental impacts beyond agricultural systems have not been specifically quantified, the documented improvements in soil health, biological activity, and sustainable nutrient management justify a Greatly Improves assessment for environmental health.

Soil quality: Improves soil health and fertility

This assessment reflects the technology's core function of restoring and enhancing soil quality. OFMB Organic Granules are specifically designed to "breathe life into the soil" by significantly increasing soil organic matter and stimulating beneficial microbial activity. These effects improve soil structure, enhance water-holding capacity, and restore the physical and biological integrity of degraded soils. By strengthening natural nutrient cycling and rebuilding soil health, the technology helps transform degraded soils into more productive and resilient agricultural systems. This supports sustained crop productivity and improved crop quality, particularly for Maize, Onion, Potato, Chinese Cabbage, and Tomato. The comprehensive improvement of the soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties justifies a Significant Improvement assessment for soil quality.

Water use: A bit less water used

This assessment is based on the technology's ability to improve soil water management through healthier and more functional soils. OFMB Organic Granules increase soil organic matter and improve soil structure, enhancing the soil's water-holding capacity and enabling crops to make more efficient use of available soil moisture. These improvements help reduce water stress during periods of limited rainfall and can reduce the need for supplemental irrigation under certain conditions. However, the technology has not been specifically evaluated through quantified water-use efficiency or irrigation-saving studies.

Problem

Declining Soil Fertility and Soil Health: Continuous cultivation, declining organic matter, and long-term reliance on conventional inputs have reduced soil biological activity and degraded agricultural land. This decline in soil health is limiting agricultural productivity, weakening food production systems, and threatening long-term national food security.
Low Agricultural Productivity: Stagnant yields and poor nutrient availability limit crop performance, reducing the effectiveness of agricultural development investments and national food production programs.
Climate Vulnerability: Degraded soil structure and poor water retention increase the exposure of farming systems to drought, erratic rainfall, and climate variability.
Degradation of Natural Resources: Continuous nutrient depletion and soil mining undermine the long-term sustainability and value of national land resources.
Dependence on External Inputs: Heavy reliance on imported synthetic fertilizers increases vulnerability to global supply disruptions and places pressure on national agricultural budgets.

Solution

Organic Soil Restoration: As a 100% organic fertilizer, OFMB restores soil organic matter, stimulates beneficial microbial activity, and rebuilds the biological integrity of agricultural soils. This strengthens long-term land productivity, supports sustainable food production, and enhances the resilience of agricultural systems.
Sustainable Productivity Enhancement: OFMB improves nutrient-use efficiency and supports significant yield increases (typically 400–1,000 kg/ha), strengthening agricultural production systems and food security outcomes.
Groundwater Protection: By reducing nutrient losses through leaching and volatilization, the granules help protect vital groundwater resources from environmental contamination.
Strengthened Food Systems: Rebuilding productive soils directly strengthens national food production systems and enhances the overall resilience of the agricultural sector.
Sustainable Land Management: The application of this technology supports the sustainable management of agricultural land resources, ensuring the long-term productivity of the nation’s agricultural heritage.

Key points to design your project

OFMB Organic Granules restore soil health, improve agricultural productivity, and strengthen climate-resilient farming systems through sustainable soil fertility management. For successful implementation in your project, consider these key points:

Strategic Fit: Supports soil restoration, food security, climate adaptation, and sustainable agricultural transformation.
Targeting: Particularly relevant in areas affected by soil degradation, drought risk, declining productivity, and food insecurity.
Priority Value Chains: Suitable for Maize, Onion, Potato, Chinese Cabbage, and Tomato production systems.
Implementation: Most effective when combined with soil testing, demonstration plots, extension support, farmer training, and strong institutional partnerships.
Operational Integration: Compatible with standard fertilizer application equipment and existing agricultural programs.
Sustainability: Impact can be tracked through adoption rates, soil health improvements, and productivity gains to support long-term scaling.

IP

No formal IP rights

Scaling Readiness describes how complete a technology\’s development is and its ability to be scaled. It produces a score that measures a technology\’s readiness along two axes: the level of maturity of the idea itself, and the level to which the technology has been used so far.

Each axis goes from 0 to 9 where 9 is the “ready-to-scale” status. For each technology profile in the e-catalogs we have documented the scaling readiness status from evidence given by the technology providers. The e-catalogs only showcase technologies for which the scaling readiness score is at least 8 for maturity of the idea and 7 for the level of use.

The graph below represents visually the scaling readiness status for this technology, you can see the label of each level by hovering your mouse cursor on the number.

Scaling readiness score of this technology

Maturity of the idea 9 out of 9

Uncontrolled environment: validated

Level of use 9 out of 9

Common use by intended users, in the real world

Maturity of the idea										Level of use
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Positive impact 16

Target Groups	Positive Impacts
Women smallholder farmers on degraded soils	Restores soil organic matter and soil fertility on degraded land. Improves soil structure and biological activity. Increases the productive capacity of existing farmland. Supports more stable crop production over time
Smallholder farmers in drought-prone areas	Improves soil water-holding capacity during dry periods. Enhances moisture retention and nutrient availability. Strengthens resilience to drought and rainfall variability. Supports more reliable crop performance under climate stress.
Low-income farmers unable to invest in long-term soil restoration	Improves nutrient-use efficiency through gradual nutrient release. Reduces nutrient losses through leaching and volatilization. Maximizes the value of limited investments in soil fertility. Supports progressive restoration of soil productivity.
Smallholder farmers in remote areas with limited access to soil diagnostics and advisory services	Provides an easy-to-apply soil fertility solution. Improves soil health and nutrient retention. Supports long-term soil productivity. Strengthens production stability in underserved farming systems.

Unintended impact 8

Target Groups	Unintended Impacts	Mitigation Measures
Women smallholder farmers on degraded soils	Benefits from soil restoration may take time to become visible. Expectations of rapid yield improvement may not always be met.	Use demonstration plots to showcase progressive soil improvement. Communicate realistic timelines for soil recovery.
Smallholder farmers in drought-prone areas	Severe drought conditions may limit short-term fertilizer response. Farmers may underestimate the importance of complementary water management practices.	Promote integrated soil and water management approaches. Demonstrate the role of soil organic matter in moisture retention. Bundle OFMB with complementary climate-resilience technologies where appropriate.
Low-income farmers unable to invest in long-term soil restoration	Initial investment requirements may discourage adoption. Farmers may prioritize short-term needs over long-term soil restoration benefits.	Demonstrate economic benefits through farmer field demonstrations. Promote phased adoption approaches. Support group purchasing or community-based distribution mechanisms where feasible.
Smallholder farmers in remote areas with limited access to soil diagnostics and advisory services	Incorrect application rates may reduce effectiveness. Limited technical guidance may lead to suboptimal results.	Develop simplified application guidelines. Strengthen local extension and advisory services. Promote community-based training and farmer-to-farmer learning.

Barriers 8

Target Groups	Adoption Barriers	Mitigation Measures
Women smallholder farmers on degraded soils	Limited access to agricultural resources and extension services. Limited capacity to invest in soil rehabilitation practices.	Integrate OFMB into women-focused agricultural programs. Strengthen access to extension support and demonstration activities. Promote participation through local farmer groups.
Smallholder farmers in drought-prone areas	Uncertainty about fertilizer performance under variable rainfall conditions. High exposure to climate-related production risks.	Demonstrate performance under different climatic conditions. Promote complementary soil and water conservation practices. Use climate-resilient demonstration sites.
Low-income farmers unable to invest in long-term soil restoration	Limited access to technical support. Limited access to agricultural inputs and distribution networks. Weak connectivity to extension services.	Establish decentralized distribution channels. Strengthen village-level advisory support. Develop local demonstration and learning platforms
Smallholder farmers in remote areas with limited access to soil diagnostics and advisory services	High transportation costs and limited access to technical assistance.	Develop community distribution centers. Strengthen local extension and advisory services.

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Botswana	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Democratic Republic of the Congo	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
South Africa	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
South Sudan	Testing ongoing	–Not tested	–Not adopted
Zambia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Zimbabwe	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid	–	–	–	–
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

The technology directly enhances soil fertility and crop yields (increasing them by 400–1000 kg/ha), which is fundamental to national food security and improved nutrition.

Goal 12: responsible production and consumption

It supports the circular economy by transforming organic waste into high-value fertilizer, promoting sustainable nutrient management and local resource utilization.

Goal 13: climate action

It fosters climate resilience by significantly improving soil water-holding capacity and reducing the carbon footprint through improved waste management and decreased reliance on synthetic fertilizers.

Goal 15: life on land

The integration of organic granules restores the biological integrity of the soil, fosters microbial biodiversity, and helps maintain healthy ecosystems to prevent land degradation.

Step 1: Field Preparation
Complete all normal land preparation activities, such as plowing or harrowing, to create suitable conditions for granule incorporation.

Step 2: Apply the Granules
Apply OFMB Granules evenly across the soil surface before planting, or place the granules directly into planting holes or rows.

Step 3: Incorporate into the Soil
Lightly incorporate the granules into the topsoil to improve contact with the soil and nutrient availability.

Step 4: Plant the Crop
Plant the crop following normal agronomic practices.

Step 5: Apply Around Established Crops (if applicable)
For perennial crops and vegetables, apply the granules around the base of the plant and lightly cover with soil.

Step 6: Activate the Product
Water the field or apply the product before rainfall to activate nutrient release and support nutrient uptake.