As part of concerted efforts to boost food production in Nigeria, the Nigerian Institute of Soil Science (NISS) has developed a mobile app dubbed the NISS Agro App.
The NISS Agro App was unveiled to extension workers, farmers and other agricultural stakeholders in the North Central zone during a workshop at the Entrepreneurship Centre, Federal University of Technology, Minna.
The zonal coordinator, NISS North Central Zone, Prof. Akim Osunde, stated that the 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 organise the workshop at zonal levels to familiarise stakeholders with the mobile app.
“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,’’ he said.
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, 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.
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.
