The Federal Government has introduced a comprehensive National Farmers’ Soil Health Scheme aimed at enhancing food productivity and addressing the persistent challenges of food insecurity in Nigeria.

Speaking at a news conference in Kano on Tuesday, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, revealed that the initiative is designed to equip farmers with scientific data about their soil, enabling them to make informed decisions about crop selection and fertilizer usage.

Abdullahi said the scheme, already in its pilot phase, would allow soil samples to be analyzed in laboratories so that farmers can identify the most appropriate and effective farming inputs.

“Since we came on board, we have confronted the realities of food insecurity. Prices of foodstuffs were high and unaffordable.

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“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a state of emergency on food security in 2023, and since then, we have introduced several interventions. The Soil Health Scheme is a major one,” the minister stated.

According to him, the low yield per hectare in Nigeria compared to other African countries necessitated a scientific approach.

“While farmers in other countries harvest up to 12 or even 22 tons of maize per hectare, Nigerian farmers still struggle with yields of three to five tons,” he noted.

SolaceBase reports that Senator Abdullahi emphasized that most Nigerian farmers are not utilizing even half of the country’s arable land efficiently.

He cited the overuse and degradation of land as key reasons for declining fertility, calling for a shift from traditional farming practices to modern, science-based methods.

The minister also likened the soil testing process to human health checks, adding, “Just like humans visit the hospital and undergo laboratory tests, farmers too must understand their soil’s health before planting.”

In addition to improving yields, the program is expected to curb indiscriminate fertilizer use, which often leads to soil and water pollution, potentially causing health problems.

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“Misuse of fertilizer not only damages crops but also contaminates our water sources, which people rely on for drinking,” the minister warned.

He further stated that the program would eventually be rolled out in all 774 local government areas, with farmers able to access the service from their locations.

The minister noted that Bayero University Kano’s Center for Dryland Agriculture will also play a role in the scheme’s implementation.

While lauding the scheme’s potential to make farming more efficient and environmentally sustainable, the minister acknowledged the skepticism among farmers who often feel excluded from government programs.

He assured that measures are being put in place to prevent fraud and ensure that genuine farmers benefit.

“We know that in the past, portfolio farmers created farmlands only on paper to access support. This time, we are putting structures in place to prevent that,” he said.

Senator Abdullahi also announced that the federal government is working on a robust and reliable agricultural database, alongside the mechanization component of the Green Imperative Project — a collaboration between Nigeria and Brazil — aimed at supporting local food production through modern equipment and techniques.

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“Our goal is to build agricultural productivity from the ground up, making every local government a hub of agricultural excellence,” he added.

He called on farmers to monitor their representative organizations closely to prevent misuse of government support.

“We must all take responsibility. The Nigerian farmer deserves better, and we are committed to ensuring that support reaches the right hands,” the minister added.