An agritech expert, Dr Bisola Aduba, has called on Nigeria to embrace precision agriculture to significantly increase food production, saying farmers can achieve higher yields without expanding cultivation into shrinking farmlands.
Aduba made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, where she stressed that technology-driven farming offered a sustainable solution to the country’s growing food security challenges.
She said desertification, insecurity and rapid population growth had placed increasing pressure on available arable land, making it imperative for farmers to maximize productivity on existing farmland rather than clear new areas.
According to her, states such as Benue and Southern Kaduna can improve agricultural output by adopting data-driven farming methods instead of expanding into lands that could worsen conflicts over grazing routes.
“To double yields on half the land without encroaching on stock routes, farmers in Benue and Southern Kaduna must shift from land expansion to data-driven intensification,” she said.
Aduba explained that digital soil mapping enables farmers to understand the specific conditions of different sections of their farms, allowing for more efficient management of soil nutrients.
She said the technology identifies soil acidity, organic matter and nutrient deficiencies, enabling farmers to apply fertilizers only where needed, reducing waste, lowering production costs and restoring degraded soils more effectively.
The agritech expert also highlighted the role of drones equipped with multispectral sensors in modern farming, noting that they could detect crop stress, pest infestations and moisture shortages before visible signs appeared.
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According to her, early detection allows farmers to take timely action, reducing crop losses and improving harvests and household incomes.
She added that drone-assisted spot spraying ensures pesticides and other treatments are applied only to affected areas, reducing chemical use while protecting healthy crops, surrounding vegetation and water sources.
“Instead of treating entire fields, farmers can focus only on affected areas, cutting chemical use considerably while preserving healthy crops and reducing production losses,” she said.
Aduba further explained that precision agriculture includes sensor-guided irrigation systems and automated planting equipment that optimize water use and plant spacing.
She said delivering water directly to crop root zones and maintaining ideal plant populations could substantially increase yields per hectare without the need for additional farmland.
The expert also identified digital mapping and geo-fencing as important tools for promoting peaceful coexistence between farmers and pastoralists.
She said clearly defined farm boundaries and designated grazing corridors would help prevent encroachment, reduce disputes and encourage more sustainable land management.
Aduba urged governments, agricultural extension agencies and development partners to expand farmers’ access to digital soil data, drone services and other precision farming technologies.
According to her, wider adoption of these innovations would strengthen food security, increase farmers’ incomes and help Nigeria meet rising food demand despite declining arable land and growing environmental challenges.
