October 25, (THEWILL) — The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has partnered with the International Soil Reference Information Centre (ISRIC) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to strengthen soil information systems and enhance food security across Nigeria.
The collaboration aims to improve soil data management, promote precision agriculture, and advance national food sovereignty.
Speaking at the Nigeria Soil Information System Development Workshop held in Abuja, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said that the initiative would provide farmers with data-driven tools to match crops with soil types, optimise fertiliser use, and improve productivity.
“Soil is the foundation of agriculture. We must take ownership of our soil and the data it produces—it’s the basis for national food security and sovereignty”, Senator Abdullahi stated.
He explained that the scheme would promote location- and crop-specific fertiliser blends, stimulating efficiency across the agricultural value chain and encouraging private sector participation in fertiliser production.
According to the Minister, the project’s data-driven approach will guide investments into high-potential agricultural regions, providing clarity for agribusinesses and reducing exploratory risks.
He added that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for a transformed food system that guarantees food sovereignty, guided by the mantra: “Eat what we produce and produce what we eat.”
Abdullahi also revealed that the Ministry plans to establish functional soil testing laboratories in all 774 local government areas to enable widespread soil analysis and timely soil health information for farmers.
The Deputy Director General of IITA’s Regional Hub in Ibadan, Dr Bernard Vanlauwe, reaffirmed IITA’s commitment to strengthening the Nigerian Soil Information System (NSIS) with modern technology to ensure consistency and efficiency across West Africa.
Similarly, Dr Chrow Krushid, Project Manager of the Soil Information System at ISRIC, Netherlands, stated that Nigeria is one of the key focus countries under the West Africa hub and will benefit from technical support in developing digital soil maps to guide agricultural policy and investment decisions.
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