By Muhammad Amaan
The Nigeria’s Federal Government said it is promoting the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Card Scheme (NFSHCS) as a key priority and significant intervention for sustainable agriculture.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi stated this at the opening of the 48th Annual Conference of Soil Science Society of Nigeria, on Tuesday in Abuja.
The Federal Government had inaugurated the National Executive Technical Committee on the Implementation of the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Card Scheme (NFSHCS).
The scheme sought to promote sustainable soil management practices to enhance agricultural productivity in the country.
The theme of the conference is, “Soil Health and Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) for Resilient Food Security System.”
Senator Abdullahi said that the scheme aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration, improve livelihoods and income for small-scale farmers, and better adaptation and mitigation of climate change.
“The government is committed to ensuring the nation’s food and nutrition security.
“Therefore, it is very important to prioritise soil health and climate-smart agriculture, allocate resources to research and development.
“It is also important to support policy and institutional frameworks, encourage investment from the private sector, and empower smallholder farmers.
“The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is currently promoting the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Card Scheme (NFSHCS) as a key priority and significant intervention for Sustainable Agriculture,” he said.
The minister said that a strong collaboration and synergy that supported the success of soil health card scheme initiative was essential.
“Together, we have the power to create a resilient food security system that benefits everyone,” he said.
In his remark, President of the Soil Science Society of Nigeria (SSSN), Professor Jibrin Jibrin said that the theme of the conference was apt.
He commended the ministry of Agriculture for initiating the Soil Health Card Scheme to boost farmers’ productivity.
