Abuja: Nigeria’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in collaboration with the International Soil Reference Information Center (ISRIC) and International Institution for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has strategized to promote soil information system, enhance production, achieve food sovereignty, and revolutionize the agricultural sector. Speaking during the Nigeria Soil Information System Development Workshop in Abuja, Nigeria, the Honorable Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed that the initiative would provide farmers with data-based information to match crops with soil types, optimize fertilizer use, reduce production costs, and lay the foundation for precision agriculture in Nigeria.
According to Voice of Nigeria, Sen Abdullahi emphasized the importance of soil as the foundation of agriculture, noting that ownership of soil data is crucial for national food security and sovereignty. He added that the scheme would promote location and crop-specific fertilizer blends, stimulate efficiency across the agricultural value chain, and boost private sector participation in fertilizer production.
Sen Abdullahi explained that experts would analyze farm soils to guide farmers on crop selection and fertilizer blends, leading to higher yields, lower input costs, and improved efficiency. He highlighted that the data-driven approach would guide investment into high-potential value chains and specific regions, reducing exploratory risks for agribusinesses.
The initiative aligns with Mr. President’s vision to transform the food system and ensure food sovereignty, with the guiding principle: ‘Eat what we produce and produce what we eat.’ Sen Abdullahi revealed plans to establish functional soil testing laboratories in all 774 local government areas across Nigeria to facilitate widespread soil analysis and provide timely soil health information to farmers.
Strengthening Nigeria’s soil information system is also a priority. Dr. Bernard Vanlauwe, Deputy Director General, Regional Hub IITA, Ibadan, stated that their role is to strengthen the Nigerian Soil Information System (NISIS) with the latest technologies and ensure consistency across West Africa. Dr. Chrow Krushid, project manager of the Soil Information System at ISRIC, Netherlands, noted that Nigeria, as a focus country under the West Africa hub, would benefit from technical support in developing digital soil maps to guide policy and investment decisions.