News Investigators/ The International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has pledged to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) to ensure improved soil health and sustainable agricultural production.
Head of Station, IITA Abuja. Beatrice Aighewi. said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on the sidelines of the launch of the Nigerian Farmers Soil Health Scheme (NFSHS).
NAN reports that NFSHS is a comprehensive soil fertility management programme designed to promote agricultural land and sustainable climate and regenerated practices.
The initiative aims to give farmers real-time insights into their soil conditions, helping them boost yields, save costs and farm smarter.
Mrs. Aighewi identified the organisation as a critical partner with the FMAFS to see how the country’s soils can be improved.
”Soil health is essential to food production so whatever you do you have to put soil health into consideration,” she said.
The head of operation said that the organisation is currently hosting the ECOWAS Centre for Excellence, Soil Laboratory in Ibadan.
She said the laboratory served as a “Regional Hub for Fertiliser and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel” .
Aighewi said the gesture is geared towards celebrating a landmark commitment between the Nigerian government and IITA to boost soil health and agricultural sustainability.
“What we are trying to do at the hub is to make sure that the soil in which the farmers are planting is healthy because soils have life.
“So soil life has to be maintained in a healthy manner so that it can yield good crops because a healthy soil brings improved yields to farmers, income and sustainable livelihood.
“So the seeds that you put into the soil, have to be healthy, needs a healthy soil and you have to carry out all good management practices for optimal yields which means more money to farmers,”she said.
She urged farmers to take advantage of the opportunity provided by NFSHS to be able to produce better.
“Visit the soil labs, get whatever information you can, and it will help them to improve their yields,”she said.
Similarly, Vincent Aduramigba, Visiting Scientist at the Regional Hub for Fertiliser and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel” said the hub provides technical expertise, innovation and collaboration to strengthen soil fertility, improve food security and resilient agriculture practices.
Mr. Aduramigba, Professor, said the hub was owned by ECOWAS while IITA is saddled with the responsibility of providing technical coordination on behalf of all the countries in ECOWAS
“Basically what the hub does is to translate research on soil fertility and agronomy productivity, empowering farmers and improving their livelihood using science and good agronomy practices
“IITA is providing the technical expertise at the hub to assist Nigerian farmers to improve their livelihood, ensuring their yields increase with science.
“We are looking at conceptualising what is relevant to Nigerians hence we are working with the Federal Government, ministry of agriculture at the hub on soil, to ensure good agronomy practices and extension services,”he said.
Aduramigba identified IITA as a strategic partner in the soil health scheme from inception.
Speaking on how to get rural farmers to key into the NFSHS he said the Federal Government is targeting establishing 774 soil health laboratories across the country.
According to him, this will enable farmers to explore opportunities inherent in such facilities to ensure quality crops, improved yields and sustainable livelihood.
Also, President, Soil Science Society of Nigeria (SSSN), Jubril Mohammed Jubril, identified soil as the basis of agriculture adding that healthy soil is required for the production of both crops and livestock.
Mr. Jubril, a professor, said the NFSHS would assist in advisory not only farmers but also fertiliser companies to produce the right type of fertilisers for the right places in Nigeria
“Our members are ready to support this initiative which we have been pushing for a long time and we are fortunate to have a lot of efforts at different levels of government to improve soil health,” he said. (NAN)
