Nigeria Validates National Soil Management Policy

The Nigerian government has commenced the validation of the National Agricultural Land and Soil Management Policy (NALSMP), marking the country's first national policy focused on soil management. This initiative aims to leverage ward-level soil data to assist farmers in reducing production costs and increasing yields while building resilience against climate change.

The policy is anticipated to be finalized within six to eight months and was announced during a three-day national stakeholder workshop in Abuja, led by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi. Abdullahi emphasized the critical timing of this policy as Nigeria faces food security challenges due to rising input costs and climate-related disruptions.

The workshop focused on aligning policy actions with federal, state, and local government responses, integrating soil health into agricultural development plans, and encouraging private sector investment in soil restoration. The initiative includes a comprehensive review of the policy draft and aims to ensure sustainable agricultural practices through various strategies, including fertilizer subsidies linked to soil health data.