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IN a bid to boost food production, the Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS) has unveiled a mobile app, NISS Agro App, for farmers and extension agents to promote their activities and access to the market.
NISS disclosed this during training on the app for stakeholders drawn from North-Western states which was held in Kano. Speaking, the Institute’s Northwest Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Sama’ila S. Noma noted that the ICT agriculture tool was developed by NISS to ensure the best and standard practices in farming.
Represented by a Professor of Soil Science, Prof. Nafiu Abdu, Noma described the app as user-friendly, adding that it was developed to help farmers properly manage the use of soil and to boost agricultural production.
Noma stated that: “NISS is an organisation entrusted with the mandate of ensuring the quality of soil in Nigeria, that is, how the fertility of the soil is maintained for efficient and sustainable crop production.
“NISS in its bid to make food available to the teeming population of Nigeria is always organising training for the farmers and extension agents on how they can properly manage Nigerian soils and also boost agricultural production.
“So, this training is for farmers and extension agents to be trained on using the NISSAGRO app. “
This app is for data collection on soil-related issues. We collect a lot of data on soil fertility, soil conservation and also the farm produce as well as how they market it.” Noma urged the trainees to utilise skills acquired for personal development and also to train other farmers.
Meanwhile, The NISS has advised farmers across the country to test the soil before they plant on it.
The institute gave this advice during a training organised by the NISS South-West zonal office for farmers, and extension workers on NISSAGRO mobile application in Nigeria held in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital recently.
NISS Registrar, Professor Victor Chude who spoke through Mr Adewale Nafiu while addressing the participants said that the major mistake made by a majority of the farmers is the inability to test the soil before the plant on it.
He said that most farmers run into losses because they failed to test the soil of the location of their farms.
He advised that for Nigeria to ensure food sufficiently and food security, farmers must test the soil before they plant on it.
“One of the common mistakes and one of the things we are getting wrong is that most people do not do soil testing. Soil testing is like diagnosis of the problem.
“If you want to do anything on the soil, you have to do soil testing.
“Food security is essential, but anyone who wants to do anything on the soil, you have to test the soil. It is not about what you want to plan. Don’t just say that you want to plant maize, you have to test the soil before you plant it.
“Our institute was established by the act of parliament in 2017, the mandate given to us is to regulate the soil science profession in Nigeria and how to protect the soil. We are to regulate the usage of soil in the country.
“The world is changing now, as an institute, we have developed an application where all issues relating to agriculture can be resolved”.
NISS Zonal Coordinator, Professor James Adediran in his address, explained that the workshop was organised in order to improve the linkage between soil scientists and other stakeholders.
He added that the workshop will enhance information sharing among the stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
“We are here to teach our farmers all the necessary information about the new application developed recently.
“This workshop is another step forward to enhance the participation of farmers and extension workers in knowledge-driven information technology that will improve the linkage between the soil scientists and agricultural stakeholders”.
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