The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to improve soil fertility efficiency, increase agricultural productivity and strengthen food security in Nigeria.
The MoU, signed on Thursday at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, is aimed at translating soil science into practical, farmer-friendly solutions across the country.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said soil health was central to President Bola Tinubu’s food security agenda, stressing that sustainable food production begins with healthy soil.
Kyari said the government’s focus goes beyond food availability and affordability to include nutritional quality and safety.
“If the soil is not healthy, no matter the effort, the desired results cannot be achieved,” the minister said.
The Director-General of IITA, Dr Simeon Ehui, said the partnership would support the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Scheme (NFSHS) and further strengthen the National Soil Information System (NNSIS).
Ehui explained that the initiative would provide farmers with data-driven, location-specific fertiliser and crop recommendations, rather than generalised advice.
According to him, implementation would be coordinated through the Regional Hub of Fertiliser and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel, hosted by IITA, to ensure standardisation, shared learning and regional collaboration.
He said the programme would deliver crop- and location-specific fertiliser recommendations for key staples such as rice, maize, sorghum, wheat and yam, alongside integrated soil fertility management, improved laboratory standards, digital soil information systems and capacity building.
Ehui added that IITA would provide research and technical support, training, soil testing services and monitoring frameworks to ensure measurable outcomes.
“The real test of this MoU will be results—improved soil health systems, higher fertiliser efficiency, stronger national capacity and faster progress towards food security,” he said.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the MoU formalised collaboration between the ministry and the West African regional fertiliser and soil health hub anchored by IITA.
Recalling the launch of the NFSHS, Abdullahi said many farmers currently rely on guesswork when deciding what to plant and how to fertilise their farms.
“This scheme is designed to remove guesswork for Nigerian farmers by providing scientific guidance on what to plant, where to plant and the appropriate fertiliser for each soil type,” he said.
He added that soil testing laboratories would be established across 174 local government areas, allowing farmers to submit soil samples for analysis and receive tailored recommendations, similar to medical laboratory tests.