FG committed to agricultural reforms – Shettima

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has reiterated the federal government’s commitment to agricultural reforms aimed at bolstering production and improving soil management practices. Shettima spoke Tuesday in Abuja during the launch of a new programme, ‘Soil Values.’ Daily Trust reports that Soil Values, a 10-year program (2024-2034), financed by the Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS), is […]

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has reiterated the federal government’s commitment to agricultural reforms aimed at bolstering production and improving soil management practices.

Shettima spoke Tuesday in Abuja during the launch of a new programme, ‘Soil Values.’

Daily Trust reports that Soil Values, a 10-year program (2024-2034), financed by the Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS), is implemented by IFDC in collaboration with core partners SNV and Wageningen University and Research (WUR) and various knowledge partners.

Soil Values aims to tackle soil fertility issues, foster sustainable agricultural development over the next decade, and uplift the livelihoods of 1.5 million small-scale food producers.

Addressing Nigeria’s challenges with soil degradation and nutrient depletion, Shettima underscored the pivotal role of agriculture in the nation’s economy, contributing 24 percent to the GDP.

The Vice President, represented by his senior Special Adviser on Agribusiness and Productivity, Kingsley Uzoma, stressed the urgent need to confront issues such as land degradation, erosion, and drought, particularly in the Sahel region.

He said: “Agriculture is a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy, contributing significantly to our national GDP. However, it faces various constraints hindering its progress.

“Land degradation, erosion, and drought are exacerbating due to over-exploitation, deforestation, and overgrazing, particularly in the northern regions.”

He urged other participating nations to collaborate effectively in implementing the initiative.

“Nigeria is proud to be part of this program, which will truly benefit our farmers, as well as farmers in other countries involved, who have been facing this soil fertility problem for years.

“We are truly committed to supporting the effective and sustainable implementation of the program in Nigeria. We also invite all the other countries included to put in place various mechanisms to facilitate the implementation of the Soil Values programme activities,” he noted.

Henk Duijn, Chief Executive Officer of IFDC, highlighted Soil Values’ collaborative approach, aiming to partner with regional and national institutions to maximize impact and implementation efficiency.

He said:“Given the current situation of soil degradation in the Sahel, investment in soil health will take a long time to produce visible and tangible results. Governments and donors must prioritize funding for soil health initiatives that offer long-term benefits.

“Soil Values have developed an approach not to operate in splendid isolation, nor to impose activities onto the Sahelian countries. Rather, it seeks cooperation with large institutional investors at the regional level, such as the World Bank and other development banks, and through national programs with local institutions.

“This will create significant leverage to collectively strengthen the implementation capabilities of local and international institutions and to create the largest impact from the investments made.”

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, emphasized Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate with international partners in implementing the Soil Values program.

Kyari, represented by Bello Mohammed, Director, Department of Agricultural Land & Climate Change Management Services, Kyari said, “Nigeria extends its hand in collaboration with international partners. We are committed to implementing the Soil Values program, and stakeholders should adopt these new interventions to address the challenges of poor soil fertility.”