A project tagged Soil Values program aimed at addressing the persistent challenges of soil fertility management in the Sahel region that include Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and northern Nigeria has been launched in Kano.
Speaking during the launch held in Kano State, Country Director of International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) Mr Yusuf Dramani stated that the soil values program is funded by the Netherlands Directorate General for International Cooperation (DGIS), with a total value of 100 million Euros, adding that the program will be implemented for a duration of over 10-years by a group of consortiums.
He explained that the consortiums include International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) serving as the lead, Netherlands Development Corporation (SNV) and Wageningen University. He added that other Coalition partners involved in implementation include AGRA, World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), International Soil Reference and Information Center (ISRIC) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), among others.
According to him, the program also aims at strengthening soil fertility and agricultural productivity, especially in periods like this when the region is faced with issues related to climate change, with a focus on regional connectivity and strategic interventions that targets effective soil management techniques.
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Similarly, Kano State governor Abba Kabir Yusuf stated that in Nigeria, as in certain West African countries, African soils are threatened, especially since most of them suffer from degradation, especially due to soil erosion, depletion of soil nutrients, reduction of soil organic matter, as well as loss of soil biodiversity.
Represented by the state coordinator of Agro-Climate Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Dr Dahir Muhammed Hashim, Governor Yusuf added that there is a need to promote sustainable soil management practices, which contribute to improving soil health, adding that these practices preserve soil biodiversity, strengthen fertility and contribute to carbon sequestration.
“We are therefore reassured and confident in IFDC’s ability to perfectly implement this program, as it has proven experience in the design and implementation of large-scale agricultural projects and programs, particularly in the context of the Sahel. We are convinced that, thanks to the commitment and expertise of all partners involved, this program will significantly contribute to the transformation of agriculture in the region. We are truly committed to supporting the effective and sustainable implementation of the program in Nigeria and invite all other countries to follow suit,” he said.
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