Soil Fertility: NISS Trains South West Farmers On How To Boost Production Through Soil Management

A Professor of soil science, Odutola Oshunsanya has disclosed that proper soil management will boost food production if strictly adhere to.

Prof. Oshunsanya from the department of soil science, University of Ibadan stated this during the training on the protection and management of soil resources for farmers and extension officers from the South West States held at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, (I A R& T) Ibadan .

The professor said the lecture was aimed at educating the farmers and extension officers on the need to have the knowledge of determining the fertility of the soil before planting their crops.

He disclosed that 95 percent of the food we eat comes from the soil and that it is highly essential to farmers to study the soil before planting their crops or seeds.

He said that lack of some basic nutrients is always responsible for under developed plants while also confirming climatic change as another factor that needs to be critically observed while choosing crops to be planted on a particular soil.

While welcoming participants to the event, the Executive Director of the Institute Prof. Veronica Obatolu who was represented by the deputy director Dr. Johnson Adedayo Adetumbi thanked the NISS for putting the training together at the right time when the rain is just starting.

She however adviced the farmers to study their soil based on the required training while also urging them to make good use of the kits given to them by the NISS.

“If you mess up with your soil , it will have negative impact in the years to come and that is the essence of the regular training been organised by the Institute” .

Prof. Obatolu who was represented at the training by Dr. Adetumbi however called for the proper education on the importance of soil to healthy crops.

” There is the need to encourage stakeholders to engage in proactive activities that will combat soil misuse and improve soil health, with this the menace of soil degradation will be reduced minimally and food security will be ensured”

In his lecture titled integrated soil fertility management strategies Prof. Jamiu Azeez taught the farmers and extension workers how to handle the soil testing kits also encouraged them to consult professionals if they encounter any difficult moment while testing their soil fertility.

Another resource person Dr. Kabiru Shitu who spoke on good agricultural practices for maize cultivation told the farmers to ensure that they study their soil very well before planting them while stating that the farmers must be knowledgeable to maintain a balance between the soil , water and oxygen.

Also speaking at the event , the South West Zonal Coordinator of Nigeria Institute of Soil Management (NISS), prof. James Alabi Adediran while stating the importance of soil to human existence added that it is important to study soil before planting crops and that the human existence is built in the soil.

“Soil fertility status is the fundermental building block on which all agric productions system are built, healthy and well- nurished soils are crucial to achieving it”.

The event which was tagged : training on the protection and management of soil resources for extension workers and farmers had in attendance, various scholars from the soil science field , students and other Stakeholders.

At the end of the training, participants were given the soil test kits by the NISS while certificate of participation was issued to the participants.