By Ahmed Kaigama
No fewer than 21 agricultural extension officers from Bauchi, Jigawa and Kano States have benefited from intensive training on Decision Support Tools (DSTs).
DSTs is a technology designed to improve soil fertility management and optimise agricultural yields.
The training exercise is being implemented by the Center for Dryland Agriculture (CDA), Bayero University Kano (BUK), with support from the IFDC Soil Values programme.
Dr Dahiru Wakili-Habib, Researcher and Soil Specialist, CDA, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday in Bauchi.
He said the training exercise was held in Bauchi between Nov. 29 and Nov. 30.
Wakili-Habib said digital tools help support farmers at every stage of their work, from planting to harvest.
“DSTs limit the excessive use of chemical fertilisers, thereby reducing environmental risks such as runoff into water bodies or soil salinisation,” he said.
He said that one of the applications presented, dedicated to nutrient recommendations for rice, particularly caught the attention of the participants.
According to Wakili-Habib, the application helps tailor fertiliser inputs to the actual needs of the plants, avoiding uniform practices that are often harmful.
To facilitate the adoption of DSTs, Wakili-Habib said that iPads were distributed to extension agents so they can replicate and disseminate the knowledge acquired within their communities.
Also, Muhammad Tukur-Musa, a young professional with the IFDC – Soil Values programme, said the initiative is part of a broader strategy aimed at restoring degraded lands across the Sahel.
“The programme focuses on three pillars: agroecology, inclusive markets, and an enabling environment. Through these efforts, we aim to strengthen farmers’ resilience to climate challenges,” he said.
Some of the participants highlighted the expected impact of the digital tools.
Idris Ibrahim, an extension officer in Bauchi, believes that, “agriculture is now a modern practice that requires technological solutions to improve productivity.”
Also, Esther Abba, from Tafawa Balewa, emphasised that the tools will help reduce costs for small-scale producers while limiting losses.
The Soil Values programme operates in a context marked by climatic and socioeconomic challenges faced by Sahelian countries, such as recurrent droughts, sociopolitical conflicts, desertification, and the effects of climate change.
The initiative is built around three areas of intervention (Agroecology, Inclusive Markets, and Enabling Environment), as well as five domains of action (Clustering, Integration, Linking, Dialogue, and Analysis & Learning).
It aims to improve the fertility and productivity of two million hectares of agricultural land in the Sahel, specifically in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and northern Nigeria, while strengthening the resilience and wellbeing of 1.5 million farmers, with a particular focus on women and youth.
With a budget of 100 million euros, the programme aims to restore degraded lands across the Sahel including Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger targeting 1.5 million smallholder farmers.
The goal is to restore two million hectares of degraded land in the Sahel. In Nigeria, 800,000 hectares are expected to be restored, directly benefiting 600,000 small producers. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Rabiu Sani-Ali
