FG partners IITA, international centre to promote soil management

The Federal Government ( FG) in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture ( IITA) and the International Soil Reference and Information Center (ISRIC) has unveiled a strategic initiative to strengthen Nigeria’s soil information systems, a move designed to enhance agricultural productivity, promote data-driven decision-making, and advance the nation’s drive toward food sovereignty.

Speaking at the Nigeria soil health information systems development workshop held in Abuja last week, Thursday, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the initiative will provide farmers with scientifically backed data to match crops with soil types, optimize fertilizer use, and reduce production costs, marking a major step toward precision agriculture in Nigeria.

“Soil is the foundation of agriculture,” Abdullahi emphasized. “We must take ownership of our soil and the data it produces. It’s the basis for national food security and sovereignty.”

Abdullahi explained that the scheme allows experts to analyze farm soils and guide farmers on the most suitable crops and fertilizer blends. This, he noted, would result in higher yields, lower input costs, and improved efficiency and food sustainability with specific fertilizer applications.

“The Ministry plans to establish functional soil testing laboratories in all 774 local government areas across the country," as he added, “to facilitate widespread soil analysis and provide timely soil health information to farmers.”

Highlighting Nigeria’s vast agricultural potential, the Minister said the country possesses about 73 million hectares of arable land, of which only 34 million hectares are currently under cultivation with reliable soil data for investors to use.

The Minister believed that the collaboration with IITA and ISRIC would enhance data collection, soil mapping, and analytical processes that would meet international standards.

 Dr. Bernard Vanlauwe, Deputy Director-General for research development at IITA, said that the project aligns with the West Africa and Sahel Fertilizer and Soil Health Hub in Ibadan.

“The Nigerian soils belong to Nigeria, and so does the information about them,” Vanlauwe said. “Our role is to strengthen the Nigerian Soil Information System with the latest technologies and ensure consistency across West Africa.”

Similarly, Dr. Chrow Krushid, Project Manager of the Soil Information System from ISRIC, Netherlands, noted that Nigeria is one of the priority countries under the West Africa soil hub that would benefit from technical support to develop digital soil maps towards policy guide and investment decisions.