As part of a federal government program, Nigerian farmers will now receive soil health cards, according to Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security.
On the fringes of the Multi-Stakeholders Platform on Feed and Fodder (MSP) forum, which was organized in Abuja by the African Union Inter African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, he told The Nation that the Soil Health Card (SHC) is a major government initiative that aims to assess the health of soils and provide farmers with tailored recommendations to improve soil productivity and fertility.
When asked what he thought of the African Soil Health and Fertility Conference in Kenya, the minister responded that it has become crucial to use soil health cards to inform farmers about the nutrient status of their soil and provide recommendations on the right amount of nutrients to apply to improve it.
He claimed that using a soil health card would enable farmers to increase productivity while significantly lowering production costs, which would boost farm profitability.
He said that a program of soil sampling, testing, and SHC generation will be implemented to launch the SHC Scheme.
They stated that in order to improve productivity and create greater affluence, there would be a greater focus on the condition of the soil in agricultural areas around the nation.
Soil testing will therefore be a regular occurrence.
Before this, Dr. Sarah Osiya, the project lead for Resilient African Feed and Fodder Systems (RAFFS), emphasized the importance of enhancing Nigeria’s national food security through the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices and technologies. She emphasized the necessity of using the MSP vehicle to promote feed and fodder to boost livestock production locally and enhance the food value chain.
She hoped that in order for the MSP to significantly contribute to improved farming practices, the government would support it.
Vice President Kashim Shettima reiterated the government’s commitment to agricultural reforms last month to increase productivity and enhance soil management techniques.
At the Abuja launch of the “Soil Values” agricultural initiative, Shettima, accompanied by Kingsley Uzoma, his Senior Special Assistant on Agribusiness and Productivity Enhancement, emphasized the critical need to address problems like land degradation, erosion, and drought, especially in the Sahel region.
“Agriculture is a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy, contributing significantly to our national GDP,” stated the vice president. Nevertheless, several obstacles prevent it from moving forward.
“Over-exploitation, deforestation, and overgrazing, especially in the northern regions, are aggravating drought, erosion, and land degradation.
“Nigeria is pleased to be a part of this program, which will be extremely beneficial to our farmers and farmers in other participating nations who have been dealing with this issue of soil fertility for a long time.
“We sincerely hope to assist Nigeria in carrying out the program sustainably and successfully. We also extend an invitation to all other participating nations to set up different systems that will make it easier to carry out the operations of the Soil Values initiative.
