The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has launched a comprehensive regional consultation to overhaul Nigeria’s Agricultural Land and Soil Management Policy, in a decisive move aimed at safeguarding the nation’s food security.
The two-day North-West zonal workshop, currently underway in Kano, is gathering critical input from stakeholders to develop a sustainable framework for managing the country’s dwindling agricultural land and soil resources.
Olanipẹkun Oshadiya, Director of Agricultural Land and Climate Change Management Services, described land and soil as the very foundation of Nigeria’s food system, warning that their deterioration poses an existential threat to the nation’s 230 million citizens.
“These resources face mounting threats from degradation, erosion, nutrient depletion, deforestation, climate change, population growth and urban expansion,” Mr Oshadiya said, represented by his Personal Assistant on Gender and Innovation, Wasiu Oyediran.
The consequences, he noted, are already evident across the country: declining soil fertility, reduced agricultural productivity and farmers’ increasing vulnerability to climate-related shocks, including droughts, floods and extreme temperatures.
“If soil quality deteriorates, agriculture will inevitably suffer,” Mr Oshadiya warned. “This means a lack of food for our citizens, insufficient raw materials for industries and a deficit in commodities for foreign exchange.”
The director stressed that Nigeria could no longer afford to maintain the status quo or continue its heavy reliance on food imports.
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Science-Driven Framework
Mr Oshadiya emphasised that the policy review extends beyond amending an existing document to establishing an inclusive, science-driven and actionable framework capable of addressing current challenges while preparing the sector for emerging threats.
He urged stakeholders to prioritise sustainable soil management, climate-smart agriculture, land restoration, effective governance and land-use planning, alongside soil information systems, research, innovation and targeted financing.
The revised policy, he said, must promote practices that restore soil fertility, improve organic matter and strengthen agricultural systems against the climate-related challenges increasingly affecting farming communities nationwide.
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Digital Innovation and Coordination
Strengthened coordination among federal, state and local governments, traditional institutions, communities, research bodies, development partners and the private sector will be central to the policy’s success, Mr Oshadiya said.
He revealed that the ministry is developing systems to provide soil data and digital advisories at the Local Government Area level, enabling farmers to access information on soil pH, organic matter and tailored fertiliser recommendations.
The ministry is also integrating the National Fertiliser and Soil Health Strategy into the ECOWAS Regional Fertiliser Hub, collaborating with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on the GP Soil Matters initiative, and providing modern laboratory equipment across 12 states.
Soil-testing laboratories are set to be revitalised across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, while Agricultural Development Programme agents will receive retraining in soil health diagnostics.
Mr Oshadiya affirmed the ministry’s commitment to a farmer-centred, affordable, locally appropriate and gender-responsive policy that supports both smallholder farmers and commercial agriculture.
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Stakeholder Endorsement
Joshua Arogunyo, Country Director of the Soil Values Programme, described the initiative as a crucial step towards making soil management an integral component of national food security.
Sanusi Mohammed-Gaya, Director of the Centre for Dryland Agriculture at Bayero University, Kano, hailed the consultation as timely, warning that climate change and growing pressure on agricultural resources made effective soil management increasingly urgent.
Kebbi State’s Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Faruk Sarki, speaking on behalf of the North-West states, commended the federal government’s initiative and called for policies capable of strengthening agricultural resilience across the region.
Jibrin Mohammed Jibrin, President of the Soil Science Society of Nigeria, stressed that sound soil management remains essential to sustainable food production.
Lead Consultant James Jayeoba presented an overview of the policy development process and led discussions on agro-ecological priorities and local realities.
The workshop drew representatives of agriculture commissioners from Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Zamfara, Kebbi and Sokoto states, alongside farmers’ organisations including AFAN, the Sasakawa Africa Association and smallholder farmers.
