The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, has called for the prioritization of soil health and climate-smart agriculture to enhance the nation’s food and nutrition security.
Abdullahi gave the call at the 48th Annual Conference of Soil Science Society of Nigeria (SSSN) with the theme, “Soil Health and Climate-Smart Agriculture for Resilient Food Security System” held at the National Centre for Women Development, in Abuja.
He revealed that soil health and climate-smart agriculture is pivotal to the establishment of a resilient food security system, adding that soil health is the foundation of sustainable agriculture, and climate-smart agriculture is essential for adapting to climate change.
He said, “Addressing soil degradation and climate change is a fundamental challenge for sustainable agriculture, Climate change poses an even greater challenge to our arable land as was noted by our dear President, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in his speech at the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
“Northern Nigeria is hounded by desert encroachment on once arable land. Our south is pounded by the rising tide of coastal flooding and erosion. In the middle, the rainy season brings floods that kill and displace multitudes.
“These solutions include climate-smart practices such as conservation tillage and cover cropping, agroforestry and reforestation, the cultivation of climate-resilient crops and livestock, integrated pest management and nutrient management”.
The Minister emphasized that all these challenges require not just a change in tactics and approach but also an injection of new knowledge, innovations, skills, techniques, technology, and value orientation.
Outlining plans to address the situation, Abdullahi revealed that the ministry is currently promoting the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Card Scheme (NFSHCS) as a key priority and significant intervention for sustainable Agriculture
The NFSHCS, the minister assured would achieve improved soil health and fertility, increased agricultural productivity and resilience, enhanced food security and nutrition, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration, and improved livelihoods and income for small-scale farmers, amongst others.
He, therefore, called for a strong collaboration and synergy that would support the success of the initiative noting that “together, we have the power to create a resilient food security system that would benefit everyone”, in a statement signed by the Chief Information Officer FMAFS Eremah Anthonia.
In his opening remarks, the Director Agricultural Land and Climate Change Management Services Department, Mr Olanipekun Oshadiya assured that the conference would bring together relevant stakeholders to highlight the crucial role of soil health in stimulating sustainable pro-poor productivity growth in the agricultural sector and to agree on some Soil Health Initiatives