Federal Government has called for the prioritization of soil health and climate-smart agriculture to enhance the nation’s food and nutrition security.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi, CON, disclosed this 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 recently.
He revealed that soil health and climate-smart agriculture are 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.
Sen. Abdullahi stressed that soil has become the world’s most vulnerable resource as a result of climate change and land degradation, adding that the consequences of these twin problems were profound, affecting ecosystem services including food security, water quality and availability, human health and livelihood of many.
In his words, “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”.
The Minister emphasized that all these challenges require not just a change in tactics and approach but also injection of new knowledge, innovations, skills, techniques, technology, and value orientation.
He stated that the solutions to these problems are within our reach. “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”.
Speaking further, the Minister 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
Abdullahi noted that the NFSHCS would achieve improved soil health and fertility, increased agricultural productivity and resilience, enhanced food security and nutrition, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration, 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 his opening remarks, Director Agricultural Land and Climate Change Management Services Department, Mr. Olanipekun Oshadiya revealed that the purpose of the conference was to discuss various issues around soil health and climate change and the implications on the country’s agriculture, health, and social well-being of the citizenry.
He noted 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, adding that if the objectives and aspirations are to be realized, then maintaining and improving soil health is of great paramount.
In his remarks, the President of Soil Science Society of Nigeria (SSSN), Prof. Jibrin Mohammed Jibrin stated that the conference was a landmark, noting that for the first time in a long time SSSN are coming together as a society, adding that the Society is working with the Ministry to organize the conference and discuss issues of the soil.
He revealed that the theme of the conference was coined by the Hon. Minister and was apt.
He commended the Ministry for the inauguration of the soil health card scheme for sustainable agriculture, revealing that it would promote site-specific and crop-specific sustainable soil health management practices, along with the careful application of fertilizers.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of Plaque and proceedings of SSSN to the Hon. Minister of State, Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi.
In attendance were representatives of World Bank, Agro-climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (Acresal), OCP Africa, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Indorama, Soil Values amongst others.
