The paper reviews the existing literature on fertilizer subsidies in sub-Saharan Africa and provides a coherent analysis of both the theoretical underpinnings and the results – or outcomes, when available – of existing fertilizer subsidy schemes. It tries to identify the role of fertilizer subsidies in the broader food security mandate. The paper concludes with a set of recommendations to identify the opportunity of adopting subsidies as part of a national food security strategy and to suggest entry points for improving their design and efficiency.