By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Niger and Kaduna states have been selected to pilot the commencement of a-three-year identification of balanced fertiliser blends.
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) announced this on Monday in Abuja.
In a statement by Prof. Victor Chude, AGRA Fertiliser Systems Project Coordinator, said that the intervention will remedy the current practice of using generic fertiliser blends and blankets application rates across the country.
He said the project, which is being piloted in two states of Niger and Kaduna, is aimed at strengthening fertiliser systems partnership for the production of balanced fertiliser blends in the country.
He emphasised that the use of balanced fertiliser blend is required to augment for nutrient deficiencies in soils, adding that facilitating the sustainable maximisation of the genetic potentials of crops has been proven by a good number of studies.
Related Posts
“Based on success recorded in the two piloted states, extend to other states across the country.
“One of the common agricultural practices in Nigeria is the use of generic fertiliser blends to address issues of soil fertility.
“This practice across various regions is often without investigations to determine unique challenges common to that region ultimately negates the specificity of soil nutrient requirements.
“It also undermines the benefits of secondary and micro-nutrients required for crop growth and the production of highly nutritious food.
“To say the least, inappropriate formulation and often-misguided use of organic/mineral fertilisers is a setback to the achievement of food and nutrition security in Nigeria and many other African countries.
“Although East African countries like Kenya (with support from AGRA) and Zambia are fast promoting the adoption of balanced fertilisers,” he said.
Chude explained that the methodology involves soil testing, on-field evaluation trials, use of visual ranking and technical yield evaluations to assess the performance of the fertiliser blends on maize, rice and soybean commodity value-chains at designated locations.
