Participants at the 2025 World Soil Day activities in Nigeria have called for improved soil health as a pathway to food sovereignty and climate resilience.
The event was organised by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) through its Soil Values program, funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Nigerian Institute of Soil Science.
The programme was held under the theme, “Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities” and was attended by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Abdullahi Sabi, and stakeholders from the agricultural sector.
Speaking at the event, the minister said soil health is central to achieving food sovereignty and climate resilience in Nigeria.
He noted that World Soil Day draws attention to the role of soil in food production, climate regulation and livelihoods.
He said soil supports crop and livestock production, water purification, climate regulation and biodiversity, while providing essential nutrients for plant growth.
He added that soil degradation, erosion and pollution pose challenges to agricultural productivity and food security.
According to him, about 33 percent of soils are degraded, while soil regeneration occurs at a slow pace.
He said World Soil Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness among farmers, promote soil conservation practices, encourage research and support policies on soil protection.
The minister said the Nigerian Soil Health Program for Farmers (NFSHS) was launched on October 13, 2025, as part of efforts to improve agricultural productivity.
He explained that the program offers crop- and location-specific fertilizer recommendations, promotes organic soil management and discourages indiscriminate fertilizer use.
He added that the program has been integrated into the federal budget and supported through consultations that led to the creation of a Coalition of the Willing platform.
He acknowledged the role of partners, including GIZ, Soil Values, OCP, AGRA, the World Bank ACReSAL project, Sasakawa Africa and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture.
In his remarks, the director of the Soil Values programme, Alain Sy Traoré, said the 2025 sub-theme focused on the link between soil health, food systems and economic development.
The deputy director of the Soil Values technical program, Alimata Boundaogou, said improving seed quality and scaling up integrated soil fertility management and soil and water conservation practices would support farmer resilience.
She called for inclusion of women, youth and persons with disabilities in soil management initiatives.
Activities marking the celebration included an awareness march from the Ministry of Agriculture headquarters to the Abuja Continental Hotel and student debates on soil health and restoration.
IFDC said the Soil Values program aims to improve soil fertility and productivity across agricultural land in the Sahel while supporting farmers through integrated soil fertility management and landscape-based approaches.
