The Federal Government and the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC) have strategised to enhance the availability, accessibility, and affordability of fertiliser in the country.

The federal government is also collaborating with IFDC to enhance soil health and achieve food and nutrition security in Nigeria.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, while speaking at a bilateral meeting with senior officials of the IFDC as part of the event at the Africa Food System Forum held in Dakar, Senegal, said the collaboration would provide technical assistance for data-driven fertiliser recommendations, support for local blending capacity, initiatives to curb adulteration in the input supply chain, and improvements to soil health, among others.

The minister emphasised the need to strengthen input markets, expand last-mile delivery systems, and scale climate-smart soil fertility practices for smallholder farmers.

He revealed that the ministry had introduced the Nigeria Farmers Soil Health Scheme (NFSHS), designed to transform the agricultural landscape of Nigeria and provide fertiliser recommendations tailored to specific crops and locations.

According to a statement signed by the Head of Information Ezeaja Ikemefuna, Kyari stated that “a stronger partnership with IFDC will help improve soil health, ensure quality inputs reach farmers on time, and advance food security in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda in the agriculture sector.”

He stressed that ”there should be interventions that prioritise affordability, quality assurance, and timely delivery to farmers, especially in staple crop belts, while aligning with the ministry’s broader programs to raise productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve livelihoods.

In his remarks, the President /Chief Executive Officer, IFDC, Henk Van Deepen, stated that “the partnership will strengthen private-sector distribution networks, targeted at soil testing, balanced nutrient use, farmer training on good agronomic practices, and evidence-based policies that support competitive and transparent input markets.”
The highlight of the event was understanding the setting up of a technical committee that will work on the details of the collaboration.