The Nigerian Institute of Soil Science (NISS) has said the agency is using good soil management to outdo crop yield in the South East Zone of the country.
South East Zonal Coordinator of the institute, Prof Charles Asadu, revealed this during the harvest of crops planted in the NISS demonstration farm at the weekend in Nsukka.
Asadu explained that the essence of planting different crops with different treatments (manures) applications in the demonstration farm was to determine which manure helped the crop to produce better yields.
“After this harvest, we will sit down and analyze the yields of each crop as a result of the manure applied on it.
“From our analysis, we will be able to advise farmers appropriately on which manure is best for each crop,” he said.
According to Asadu, some of the crops planted in the farm include potatoes, maize, cassava, and yam while manures such as Lime, MPK fertilizer with Lime, Poultry with Lime and Poultry alone were manures applied differently on crops.
The zonal coordinate noted that manure was meant to provide crops with required nutrients as well as helped in reducing the acidity of soils.
Asadu disclosed that one of the aims of the Nigerian Government in establishing NISS was for the Institute to ensure adequate soil management that would help improve agricultural yields in the country.
Speaking, Mr Babajide Lawal, an Agricultural Officer at NISS Headquarters, Abuja, who was present during the harvest, expressed satisfaction on the bumper yields of crops planted in NISS demonstration farms in Nsukka.
Lawal, who said he was in Nsukka on the official capacity to monitor the harvests, noted that the harvest has shown that with proper management of soil, achieving food security in the country was possible.
