Stakeholders to review fertiliser application manual

The Federal Government is working with other relevant stakeholders to develop the Input Fertilizer Application Manual for Nigerian farmers.

The essence of the manual is to ensure that farmers apply fertilizer correctly and responsibly.

Speaking at the National Stakeholder Validation Workshop on the Input Fertilizer Application Manual Tuesday in Abuja, the Executive Secretary, National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), Mohammed A. Ibrahim said the validation was to ensure the it is practical for farmers, extension workers, and other end users across different agro-ecological zones.

“Fertilizer is a major driver of productivity, but it only delivers value when it is applied correctly and responsibly. When guidance is inconsistent or fragmented, we lose efficiency, and we risk long-term damage to soil health. A harmonised national manual helps us promote better yields, smarter input use, and more sustainable farming practices,” the Ibrahim said.

The Executive Secretary said that the technical working group, with support from research institutes and partners, has worked through several iterations to produce the draft manual, adding that the meeting was to agree on the final technical positions, and ensure it is practical for farmers, extension workers, and other end users across our different agro-ecological zones.

The Director Farm Inputs Support Services, Mr. Abana Waziri Abba, said the harmonized fertilizer manual is a critical tool for enhancing crop productivity, improving farmers’ profitability, and ultimately strengthening national food security.

He argued that in Nigeria today, low soil fertility is one of the main factors causing low agricultural productivity.

“Application of manures and fertilizers has the means of replenishing the nutrients-supplying capacity of soils. Fertilizer therefore is one of the critical farm inputs for achieving increases in crop yields and output. However, increased crop production largely depends on the type of fertilizer used to supplement essential nutrients for plants, but the concerns in fertilizer application had always been that of ‘feeding the plant or feeding the soil’.

“Meanwhile, for a very long time, conventional fertilizer use has largely been guided by blanket recommendations that fail to reflect the diverse nutrient needs of our soils across different agro-ecological zones, as well as the economic realities faced by farmers.

“We know that blanket fertilizer application recommendations may lead farmers to over-fertilize in some areas and under-fertilize in others or apply an improper balance of nutrients for their soil or crop,” he emphasized.

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