Locally adapted rhizobia strains for Sahelian nutritional security

Soil degradation and nitrogen depletion pose significant challenges to sustainable agricultural productivity and nutrition security in the Sahel region of Africa. While commercial rhizobial inoculants have been utilized as biofertilizers for leguminous crops, their effectiveness can be limited by poor adaptation to local conditions. Here, we call attention to the opportunity of locally adapted rhizobial inoculants to contribute to sustainable agriculture and nutrition security in the Sahel Region. Certain indigenous rhizobial strains across the African continent have demonstrated superior performance in nodulation, legume crop yields, and/or resilience to abiotic stresses compared to commercial inoculants. We propose a comprehensive framework that emphasizes (1) the selection of indigenous strains optimized for nitrogen fixation and abiotic stress tolerance, (2) matching inoculants with regionally important and underutilized legumes, and (3) ethical and broader considerations for developing inoculant formulations to enhance field performance. We stress that locally adapted rhizobial strains can contribute to enhanced nutrition security through improved legume crop yields, improve climate resilience, and potentially promote agricultural sustainability through reduced reliance on synthetic fertilizer inputs in the Sahel, with potential applications for other nitrogen-deficient regions globally. However, to be sustainable, this approach requires community-based participatory research, supportive policy frameworks, and investment in local capacity building.