The federal government has disclosed that it is analysing soils across the country to ensure its fertility and food security.
The Provost of Federal College of Land Resources Technology Owerri, Dr.Oluyemi Solomon Akande revealed this in Abakaliki during the training of youths and women of Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo federal constituency of the state on soil fertility and food security.
The three days program which was sponsored by a former member of the House of Representattive Hon. Linus Okorie, had over 2,000 persons from the constituency that benefited from it.
Akande said the land resources department in the federal ministry of agriculture have carried out soil survey of the country and was currently conducting soil suitability production across the country with a view to improve soil fertility and food security.
He said: “we have a particular department in the federal ministry of Agriculture which we called Land Resources Department and in that Land Resources Department, we have what we call Land use Division. They have carried out soil survey of Nigeria and not only that, they are doing what we called soil suitability production.
“What this means is that at a particular region of the country, we are producing a map so that when you see the map you see the soil that is available in your area, you see the type of crops you can plant in your area, and you see the other part of uses you can put the soil in your area, we call it soil suitability map of the country.
“In as much as people at a particular place which we call comparative advantage has knowledge of what soil can produce, they will not go and put another soil that is not available in that area and it will ensure food security. If the soil is not managed properly, at the end of the day you have problem of food security”.
Okorie who was represented by Ernest Nwafor, said the training which he described as continuous centered on soil fertility management and ‘Agri-preneurship’ with special focus on poultry production.
He disclosed that the beneficiaries will be given cash after the training to commence practice of what they were trained on.
