Victoria Mbangwa
Nigeria is stepping up the fight against adulterated fertilizers and poor soil quality as the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) partners with the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) to strengthen the country’s input supply chain.
The new collaboration, announced during the Africa Food Systems Forum in Dakar, Senegal, will tackle long-standing challenges facing farmers, including access to genuine, affordable fertilizers and the decline of soil fertility in staple crop regions.
Agriculture Minister, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said the partnership will prioritize technical support for data-driven fertilizer recommendations, expansion of local blending capacity, and measures to curb adulteration in the fertilizer market.
“A stronger partnership with IFDC will help improve soil health, ensure quality inputs reach farmers on time, and advance food security in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda for the agriculture sector,” Kyari said.
He explained that the ministry has rolled out the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Scheme (NFSHS), a program designed to deliver fertilizer solutions tailored to specific crops and locations while promoting climate-smart farming practices.
IFDC President and CEO, Henk Van Deepen, noted that the initiative will also empower smallholder farmers through soil testing, balanced nutrient application, and training on modern agronomic practices.
The agreement includes the formation of a Technical Committee to work out the modalities of implementation.
If successful, experts say the initiative could improve crop yields, reduce post-harvest losses, and transform Nigeria’s food production systems by restoring farmer confidence in fertilizer quality.
