Amidst efforts to  advance the implementation of the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Scheme (NFSHS), Kano, Jigawa and Bauchi States have established a state-level coordination mechanism to build a broad-based support to transition the states  toward evidence-based soil

The aim is to translate Nigeria’s national soil health agenda into locally driven action that can improve soil fertility, strengthen agricultural productivity, and support long-term food security.

NHFSHS is being led by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), through its Department of Agricultural Land and Climate Change Management Services (ALCCMS), in partnership with the Soil Values program.

According to a Press release issued by the Communication team of the Soil Values Project,  the first round of state domestication workshops held in Kano, Jigawa and Bauchi state had in attendance government institutions, researchers, farmer organizations, private-sector actors, and development partners.

The workshops  focused on adapting the scheme to local agricultural  realities  while  establishing  the  structures  needed  to  guide  implementation  and strengthen state ownership.

During  the workshop, the stakeholders emphasized the need to move beyond blanket fertilizer recommendations toward site-specific  soil  management  informed  by  soil  data  and  local  conditions.

They  highlighted the role of the NFSHS in equipping farmers with tailored recommendations through Soil Health Cards while contributing to the expansion of the Nigeria Soil Information System (NiSIS), a national database designed to support evidence-based decision-making.

In Kano state, the workshop highted synergies with existing state initiatives, including the planting of nearly 20 million trees since 2023 and the development of local compost to reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers.

In Jigawa state, the workshop witnessed the release of NFSHS educational materials in  Hausa language and the integration of women farmers’ organizations into the STEC. It was also announced  that NiSIS system now  contains nearly 8,000 recorded soil data points, well on its way to reaching the target of 100,000 by the end of 2026.

The Commissioner of Agriculture Bauchi State  Dr. Iliyasu Aliyu Gital  reaffirmed the state commitment to implementing the national policy and working closely with Soil Values to restore soil fertility.

A major outcome of the workshops across the three states was the formation of the State Technical Executive Committee (STEC), chaired by each State Commissioner of Agriculture, and the Coalition of the Willing (CoW).

National  Coordinator  of  the  Soil  Values  program  in  Nigeria Medinah Ayuba  Fagbemi Ms.  Medinah Ayuba  Fagbemi emphasized that the strategic alignment between the NFSHS and the Soil Values Program is a key driver for restoring degraded land, particularly in the northern regions of the country.

She said “The Federal Ministry and the Soil Values Program are honoured to provide the technical and financial support to facilitate the domestication of the NFSHS”

The Managing Director Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development (KNARDA) Dr. Faruk Kurawa said the state has been following  up with  the Soil Values Program since  inception and pledged to provide all the needed support.

The Director of ALCCMS, who was represented by Mrs Afolabi Idowu Fatima urged the workshop to produce more than awareness.

Soil Values Program Funded by the Directorate-General for International Cooperation of the Netherlands (DGIS), the Soil  Values  program  is implemented  by  a  consortium  led  by  the  International  Fertilizer Development  Center  (IFDC),  in  partnership  with  the  N…
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