The National Agricultural Land Development Authority, NALDA, in collaboration with the Borno State government has trained 269 soil Doctors and Agriculture extension workers, in order to further boost the quality of agricultural output in Nigeria.
The beneficiaries were awarded certificates and also given test kits to facilitate their field operations following their successful completion of a two weeks intensive training exercise in Maiduguri the state capital.
The trainees comprised graduates with agriculture and science related educational backgrounds and corps members.
They were trained in areas of soil sample collection, soil testing as well as extension services.
Addressing Soil Testing problems
The Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority, Prince Paul Ikonne, while delivering his address at the certificate award ceremony, expressed optimism that the entry of the trainees into the Nigerian agricultural system would address issues associated with soil testing and food quality.
“It is expected that the injection of soil doctors and extension service providers into the Nigerian agricultural system will correct the anomalies of non-soil testing so that farming becomes healthy for the environment, humanity and quality food production,” he said.
The Borno state Governor Professor Babagana Zulum, commended NALDA for giving the state such an opportunity as that was the first time the head of any agency would approach him with such intervention since he assumed office.
He said, “It is the first in the history of my administration in Borno state that a Chief Executive of a federal agency called and told me, Mr. Governor, I am in receipt of funding from the federal government , so that we can work together “.
Water is Not a Limiting Factor
The Governor said Borno state has great agricultural potentials and water is not a limiting factor as irrigation engineers are being continually called upon to design structures that could handle the natural supply of water.
According to Professor Zulum ,his state will keep working towards improving the food supply and agriculture value chain to ensure the nation and the state has food sustainability.
“This effort by NALDA and her development partners by training and providing well designed soil testing kits to one thousand youths shall provide effective and adequate number of experts on soil, to our farmers in time, for Borno to engage in scientific cultivation which should be anchored on sustainable development” Zulum said.
He further highlighted some of the problems faced in the state’s agriculture system to include lack of adequate extension workers, poor funding, inadequate logistics services for field staff and wants NALDA to provide extension support services.
Zero Reject
The Nigerian Senate President Ahmed Lawan, who was at the event with other members of the National Assembly, on his part, said the initiative by NALDA would address issues of export rejects of Nigerian farm produce, which has reduced their competitiveness because of high residue content.
“The soil doctors are going to be real doctors for the soil, our practice has been to apply fertilisers without knowing what type of fertilisers are required or needed on our farms, with the soil doctors we should have a clear analysis of what we need in terms of fertilizers and other necessary inputs into pot soil,” he said.
Senator Lawan noted that the choice of Borno to kick start the training was very apt.
He commended the state government for taking advantage of the opportunity offered through the programme by engaging with NALDA on the project.
“Borno state alone can feed Nigeria, I know for certain. I was part of this state before Yobe was excised and I know the Chad Basin’s projects and the programmes alone could produce enough food for this country, so the choice of Borno state for this particular project is apt and in fact in the right direction and the right thing to do,” The Senate President added.
Beneficiaries
One of the beneficiaries , Usman Alhaji-mala, said he and his colleagues were empowered with knowledge on soil fertility, the soil’s nutrient content and how farmers can identify needed nutrient requirements on their farms, how they can improve on the nutrients as well as the most suitable crops for their farmlands.
He said, “We are ready to go out and meet the farmers and introduce the new initiative to them so they can improve their production, it is very relevant, we were trained perfectly on how to help the farmers and I am sure it will make them happy”
Another beneficiary, a female Corp member, Fati Abdulkadir, was also glad to have received the empowerment.
She said, “It’s a great privilege for me to be amongst the soil doctors, we have been exposed to the theory and practical aspects of the programme.”
It would be recalled that The National Agricultural Land Development Authority, NALDA, earlier this year disclosed its readiness to train over thirty thousand youths as soil doctors across all the thirty six states of the federation and the FCT.
It is in an effort geared towards introducing young people into the scientific method of farming for better crop yields and food security.
Confidence Okwuchi
