NISS empowers farmers, extension workers with skills on soil protection: Nigeria

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FARMERS and extension workers from the six states in south-west Nigeria, have received support in terms of training from the Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS), South-West zone, on how to protect soil resources and manage them effectively.

Speaking during a one-day workshop held on the premises of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Moor Plantation, Ibadan, South-West Zonal Coordinator, NISS, Professor James Adediran, stated that the training was put together in order to consolidate on the activities of NISS with farmers and extension agents who had in the past few years engaged in some of NISS programmes related to soil management in south-west Nigeria.

Participants were offered the opportunity to share their practical experiences in the area of soil management and also acquired the knowledge of integrated soil fertility management strategies and skill of managing the soil resources of Nigeria.

While addrssing the participants, Deputy Director, IAR&T, Dr Johnson Adetumbi, commended NISS for scheduling the training to a time when the new farming season is commencing.

He called on the participants to judicious use of all the knowledge acquired when they return to their various farms.

The highpoint of the event was the distribution of soil test kits to participants from Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Lagos, Osun and Ekiti States. The soil test kits according to the South-West Coordinator of NISS, Professor James Adediran, will afford the farmers the opportunity to be able to test the soil in order to determine the kind of fertiliser to apply and other considerations before planting.