My people, make I yan you wetin dey happen for agriculture side for Naija. The Federal Government don kick off validation for wetin dem dey call Harmonised Fertilizer Manual. Dem say this one go help our farmers do beta as e go boost crop productivity and make sure say we fit chop better food.
Abana Abba, wey be Director for Farm Inputs Support Services, talk say this manual na critical tool wey fit change di game for farmers wey dey struggle to get correct fertilizer for dem land. E don make clear say low soil fertility na wahala wey dey affect plenty farmers for Naija, and wey get beta fertilizer go help replenish wetin dem soil don lose.
Abba talk say for Naija today, many farmers dey face low agricultural productivity because dem no dey apply fertilizer well. Na im make e dey very important make dem sabi wetin fertilizer dey do as dem dey plant for ground. “Fertilizer be major farm input wey fit increase crop yield.” E turn am say dem don dey rely on blanket fertilizer recommendations wey no fit cover the different soil needs for each area.
E continue dey yarn how as we dey use the same fertilizer for everywhere fit make some farmers over-fertilize while some go still dey under-fertilize. Abba talk say, this validation na signal say dem dey move towards precision agriculture wey go show farmers wetin dey work for dem specific land. E wan make sure say dem apply the correct nutrients at the correct time.
Abba don talk say dis validation exercise go help tackle the issue of wetin dem dey call “hidden hunger” — this na when the food wey people dey chop no get enough vitamins and minerals. E link the health of our soil to the health of our bodies, say healthy soils go give healthy plants and healthy humans.
Mohammed Ibrahim, the Executive Secretary for National Agricultural Development Fund join talk say fertilizer fit drive productivity, but na only when dem dey use am correct. E com talk say when dem no get correct guideline, na so dem go waste resources and spoil the soil over time. “Harmonised manual go make sure sey we dey use beta farming practice, promote better yields and protect our soil,” Ibrahim talk.
The government dey try reform how dem dey distribute fertilizer, because over time, plenty studies don show say the way dem dey use fertilizer no dey effective. Na im make plenty farmers dey struggle with low yield and any time dem wan buy fertilizer, di price dey too high. Dem dey try bring in new policies like Presidential Fertilizer Initiative to make sure say farmers fit access better quality inputs.
As e dey be now, dis validation wey dem dey carry out come dey part of bigger national strategy wey go help manage soil health, introduce climate-smart agriculture and fit protect food security for the country. With this new move, e hope sey we go see increase for wetin farmers dey produce, better income for dem, and plenty good food wey dey reach our table.
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
