Stanley Ugboaja
Soil scientists in Nigeria’s North Central region have developed mobile app to help farmers boost food production in the area.
The Nigerian Institute of Soil Science (NISS), which developed the mobile app tagged NISS Agro App, unveiled it to extension workers, farmers, and other agricultural stakeholders in the North Central zone of the country during a workshop titled: NISS Training Workshop on the Use of NISSAGRO App for Extension Agents and Farmer held at the Entrepreneurship Centre, Federal University of Technology, Minna on Tuesday, August 22, 2022.
Speaking at the workshop, the Zonal Coordinator, NISS North Central Zone, Prof. Akim Osunde, fsssn, RSS, stated that the NISSAGRO App would ensure adequate sharing of soil information, agricultural research publications and frequent engagement with extension services providers, farmers as well as access to NISS services all over the country, adding that the Institute deemed it expedient to organize the workshop at zonal levels to familiarize stakeholders with the NISS Agro mobile app.
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“NISS in April 2022 developed and implemented an Agro Mobile App to promote the services of Registered Soil Scientists and engage farmers, extension workers, researchers, Agro-dealers, and other stakeholders on good agricultural practices, fertilizer recommendations and technology needed for improving soil and food production in each locality in Nigeria,” the doyen of Soil Science disclosed.
Further, Prof. Osunde said the training would be purely practical while disclosing that the participants only required a functional Android or Smartphone to enable them to download the App from the various online stores. He urged the participants to pay rapt attention in order to understand the usage of the App to enhance food security in the country.
Taking participants through the use of the NISS Agro App, the resource person from NISS Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Humphrey Nweke stated that the app would provide information for farmers and extension agents on awareness creation on the advantages of different fertilizers and improved seed varieties.
Also, he noted that the app would collect soil data such as potassium, nitrogen, PH, Sulphur, and Phosphorous content, using GPS location in Nigeria from researchers and scholars as well as a list of registered soil scientists, their area of specializations, contact details and organization affiliation information.
Similar trainings have been held in the other five geopolitical zones of the country in July 2022.
The Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS), an agency under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is charged primarily with the mandate of regulating the profession of soil science in Nigeria, as well as providing the scientific basis for enhancing and sustaining productivity of soil resources with minimal environmental degradation, especially with regards to food production in the country. The Institute has zonal offices in each of the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
The Federal University of Technology (FUT Minna) is hosting the North-Central Zonal office of the Institute.
