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<p>Food security is a goal that can only be realized when soil fertility and nutritional security are not neglected. These two imperatives must advance in tandem to ensure the emergence of a healthy, well-fed population; in their absence, a prolonged state of disorder and vulnerability is likely to persist. Meeting hunger is not solely about increasing caloric intake particularly from staple carbohydrates that dominate the diets of most households. It also requires the provision of a well-balanced diet capable of addressing “hidden hunger,” a form of malnutrition that contributes to diseases linked to micronutrient deficiencies, with especially severe consequences for less privileged and poor communities. Balanced nutrition further depends on the diversification of carbohydrate-based diets through the inclusion of legumes, which serve as affordable sources of protein. Yet legume productivity is under pressure: yields have been declining as weather variability intensifies and disrupts the soil microbiome. Strengthening and restoring this microbiome is therefore essential to support plant growth, improve resilience, and raise yields. Achieving this may require the strategic use of microbial inoculants such as <i>Rhizobium</i> spp., <i>Pseudomonas</i> spp., <i>Bacillus</i> spp., and <i>Mycorrhiza</i> spp. These microorganisms have been documented to fix atmospheric nitrogen, solubilize phosphorus, enhance nutrient uptake, improve drought tolerance, and substantially increase crop yields. Symbiotic inoculants offer notable advantages: they are typically cost-effective, pose fewer environmental risks than many conventional inputs, and are relatively easy to apply. In practice, they can deliver greater impact than organic fertilizers alone while supporting food security more sustainably than reliance on inorganic fertilizers, which are associated with deleterious environmental consequences. Although these technologies have been tested and firmly established in developed countries, they are still only beginning to be introduced and promoted to farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa, where adoption remains limited. In particular, Rhizobia inoculants can promote root and shoot development and help remedy nitrogen-deficient soils by supplying nitrogen for legumes and for other crops cultivated within the same field system. We therefore examine the prospects, utilization, and practical application of rhizobial and microbial inoculants as potential game changers for smallholder farming systems and long-term food security.</p>

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Boosting food security with microbial or Rhizobia inoculation, a game-changer for smallholder farmers

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月10日

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  • O. O. Ajayi,
  • E. O. Tella,
  • O. A. Lawal,
  • A. Gbenga-Martins,
  • A. Osuntade,
  • A. B. Oluwadara,
  • M. Dianda,
  • O. E. Fagade,
  • O. Fagbola

摘要

Food security is a goal that can only be realized when soil fertility and nutritional security are not neglected. These two imperatives must advance in tandem to ensure the emergence of a healthy, well-fed population; in their absence, a prolonged state of disorder and vulnerability is likely to persist. Meeting hunger is not solely about increasing caloric intake particularly from staple carbohydrates that dominate the diets of most households. It also requires the provision of a well-balanced diet capable of addressing “hidden hunger,” a form of malnutrition that contributes to diseases linked to micronutrient deficiencies, with especially severe consequences for less privileged and poor communities. Balanced nutrition further depends on the diversification of carbohydrate-based diets through the inclusion of legumes, which serve as affordable sources of protein. Yet legume productivity is under pressure: yields have been declining as weather variability intensifies and disrupts the soil microbiome. Strengthening and restoring this microbiome is therefore essential to support plant growth, improve resilience, and raise yields. Achieving this may require the strategic use of microbial inoculants such as Rhizobium spp., Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp., and Mycorrhiza spp. These microorganisms have been documented to fix atmospheric nitrogen, solubilize phosphorus, enhance nutrient uptake, improve drought tolerance, and substantially increase crop yields. Symbiotic inoculants offer notable advantages: they are typically cost-effective, pose fewer environmental risks than many conventional inputs, and are relatively easy to apply. In practice, they can deliver greater impact than organic fertilizers alone while supporting food security more sustainably than reliance on inorganic fertilizers, which are associated with deleterious environmental consequences. Although these technologies have been tested and firmly established in developed countries, they are still only beginning to be introduced and promoted to farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa, where adoption remains limited. In particular, Rhizobia inoculants can promote root and shoot development and help remedy nitrogen-deficient soils by supplying nitrogen for legumes and for other crops cultivated within the same field system. We therefore examine the prospects, utilization, and practical application of rhizobial and microbial inoculants as potential game changers for smallholder farming systems and long-term food security.