The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has commenced a zonal stakeholders’ consultation on the review and development of the Nigeria Agricultural Land and Soil Management Policy (NALSMP) 2027–2035.
The two-day North-West consultation, held in Kano, is aimed at obtaining stakeholders’ inputs toward developing a sustainable framework for managing the country’s agricultural land and soil resources.
Speaking at the workshop on Wednesday, the Director, Agricultural Land and Climate Change Management Services in the ministry, Mr Olanipẹkun Oshadiya, said the review was crucial to achieving food security.
Oshadiya, represented by his Personal Assistant on Gender and Innovation, Dr Wasiu Oyediran, said agricultural land and soil were the bedrock of the country’s food system.
He said the resources were increasingly threatened by soil degradation, erosion, nutrient depletion, deforestation, climate change, population growth, urban expansion and competing land demands.
“If soil quality deteriorates, agriculture will inevitably suffer. A decline in agriculture means a lack of food for our citizens, insufficient raw materials for industries and a deficit in commodities for foreign exchange.
“We cannot afford to maintain the current situation and continue relying on food imports for a population of 230 million,” he said.
Oshadiya said the revised policy would focus on sustainable soil management, climate-smart agriculture, land restoration, land governance, land-use planning, soil information systems, research, innovation and investment.
He called for stronger collaboration among governments, traditional institutions, communities, research institutions, development partners and the private sector.
The director said the ministry had, in collaboration with development partners, developed the Nigerian Soil Information System (NiSS), which would provide soil data and digital advisories at the Local Government Area level.
He said the system would enable farmers to access information on soil pH, organic matter and appropriate fertiliser recommendations.
Oshadiya added that the ministry was integrating the National Fertilizer and Soil Health Strategy into the ECOWAS Regional Fertilizer Hub and partnering with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on the GP Soil Matters initiative.
He said the ministry would also revitalise soil-testing laboratories across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory and retrain Agricultural Development Programme agents on soil health diagnostics.
Also speaking, Mr Joshua Arogunyo, Country Director, Soil Values Programme, said the programme would work with Nigerian institutions to make soil management an integral part of agricultural development and food security.
Prof. Sanusi Mohammed-Gaya, Director, Centre for Dryland Agriculture, Bayero University, Kano, described the consultation as timely, citing climate change and increasing pressure on agricultural resources.
Mohammed-Gaya, represented by Dr Mustafa Bello, urged stakeholders to ensure that the outcomes translated into practical interventions.
The Kebbi State Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Alhaji Faruk Sarki, who spoke on behalf of the North-West states, commended the Federal Government for initiating the review.
He said agriculture remained critical to the region’s economy and called for policies that would strengthen resilience and sustainable land management.
Prof. Jibrin Mohammed Jibrin, President, Soil Science Society of Nigeria, also stressed the importance of sound soil management to sustainable food production.
The Lead Consultant for NALSMP, Prof. James Jayeoba, presented a paper on the policy development process, objectives and expected outputs.
Representatives of the ministries of agriculture in Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Zamfara, Kebbi and Sokoto, farmers’ organisations, AFAN, Sasakawa Africa Association, smallholder farmers and other stakeholders attended the consultation.
