The Soil Values in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security have engaged the stakeholders in the agricultural sector to domesticate the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Scheme (NFSHS).

According to the Director, Land and Climate Change Management Services, Olanipekun Oshadiya, the workshop was to rally the stakeholders on domestication of the Scheme, saying healthy soil is the foundation of sustainable agriculture and food security. He added that the Nation’s ability to produce sufficient food, improve farmers’ livelihoods and build resilient agricultural systems depends largely on the health and productive capacity of our soils.

Speaking on the concerns of the Federal government and the Soil Values, he said that “Soil degradation, nutrient depletion, erosion, declining organic matter and the impacts of climate change continue to pose significant challenges to agricultural production. We must therefore change the way we manage our soils,” he said.

Oshadiya who was represented by Mrs. Afolabi Fatima, further said that Nigeria Farmers Soil Health Scheme provides an important platform for achieving the transformation. According to him, the scheme promotes a more scientific, farmer-centred and evidence-based approach to soil fertility management, with soil testing and analysis serving as a critical foundation for making appropriate fertiliser and soil amendment recommendations.

“We must move away from a situation where farmers apply fertiliser simply because it is generally recommended, towards an approach where the specific needs of the soil and crop determine the appropriate nutrient application. In simple terms, our goal should be to ensure that farmers apply the right nutrients, in the right quantity, at the right time and in the right place.”

Also, the Country Coordinator of Soil Values Programme in Nigeria, Mrs. Medinah Ayuba Fagbemi, said that Bauchi State is among the first cohort of Nigeria’s Health Scheme domestication, in recognition of the significant contribution of the farmers population, and importance to national fertiliser demand and soil fertility management.

She recognised the commitment of the state government toward agricultural transformation, saying that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in collaboration with Soil Values have provided technical and financial support to facilitate the project.

She explained that “the Soil Values’ objectives is to build a shared value and inclusive understanding of the Nigeria Farmers Soil Health Scheme —its objectives, its design and its successful implementation requires the stakeholders –the government, private sector, farmer organisations, academia and development partners working together.”

The stakeholders inaugurated a Coalition of the Willing (CoW) to drive the scheme across the state.

The officials of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-Pres), Bauchi State Agricultural Development Project (BSADP), Academia from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University and other development partners were in attendance.