The International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC), through its Soil Values initiative supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has kicked off activities marking Nigeria’s 2025 World Soil Day in collaboration with major agricultural institutions.
Centred on the theme, “Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities,” the event brought together the Minister of State for Agriculture, Sen. Abdullahi Sabi, along with farmers, researchers, development partners and other key players in the agricultural sector.
The Minister stressed that soil health is fundamental to achieving food sovereignty and building climate-resilient communities. He explained that soil remains the source of most of the world’s food and essential nutrients for plant development.
He noted that healthy soils purify water, regulate climate patterns, trap carbon, minimise emissions and protect biodiversity—functions that place them at the heart of Nigeria’s food systems and environmental balance.
Sabi raised concerns over the growing rate of soil degradation, erosion and pollution across the country, warning that these dangers diminish crop yields, undermine food quality and pose long-term threats to national food security and rural livelihoods.
He pointed out that about 33 per cent of the nation’s soils are already degraded and emphasised that it can take close to a thousand years to naturally regenerate just a few centimetres of topsoil.
According to him, World Soil Day serves as a vital platform for raising awareness among citizens and farmers on soil protection, promoting sustainable farming practices, advancing scientific research and shaping stronger policies to safeguard Nigeria’s soil resources.
The Minister also referenced the Nigerian Soil Health Scheme for Farmers, unveiled on Oct. 13, 2025, which offers tailored fertiliser recommendations and discourages indiscriminate usage.
The scheme champions organic soil amendments, sustainable land-use practices and technologies designed to improve soil conditions across Nigeria’s varied ecological regions.
He applauded partners such as the German Agency for International Cooperation, OCP Africa, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa and Sasakawa Africa for their ongoing support.
Programme Director, Dr Alain Sy Traoré, said the 2025 sub-theme highlights the growing economic and climate relevance of restoring soil health to bolster national and regional food sovereignty.
Deputy Programme Director, Dr Alimata Boundaogou, urged stronger efforts to enhance farmer resilience, improve seed systems and expand inclusive opportunities for women, young people and persons with disabilities.
The event also featured an awareness march involving farmers, students and partners, all advocating for more robust soil protection measures.
Students participated in debates promoting soil restoration and the adoption of environmentally responsible agricultural practices among young Nigerians.
The Soil Values initiative works across the Sahel, tackling drought, conflict, advancing desertification and climate-related challenges that worsen soil degradation and jeopardise rural livelihoods.
The programme targets improved fertility on two million hectares of land and aims to strengthen the resilience of 1.5 million farmers, especially women and youth.
Its approach promotes Integrated Soil Fertility Management and participatory landscape restoration techniques to encourage large-scale uptake of soil-enriching innovations.
The strategy blends Agroecology, Inclusive Markets and Enabling Environment pathways, supported by pillars of Clustering, Facilitation and Documentation.
Soil Values is delivered by IFDC in partnership with SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and Wageningen University and Research Centre.
Its knowledge partners include the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, ISRIC–World Soil Information and the International Water Management Institute.
IFDC currently operates in 27 countries, helping smallholder farmers adopt sustainable, productivity-boosting technologies through research and field-based interventions.
