YoFin Advocate Calls for Land Ownership at National Town Hall as Nigeria Launches Soil Restoration Initiative

YoFin has called on traditional rulers across Nigeria to support young farmers with land ownership, not just access, as a critical step toward sustainable agriculture and food security.

Speaking during a National Town Hall meeting, YoFin Coordinator Abdul emphasized that true agricultural transformation requires empowering young people to fully control and manage farmland.

“Our input is clear,” Abdul said. “We ask the traditional rulers present to assist young people in farming to not only have access to land but own it. Because owning land allows for the full practice of agroecology.”

He noted that secure land ownership would encourage long-term investment in soil health, climate-smart practices, and sustainable farming systems among youth.

The call comes as the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, officially launched the Soil Matters Initiative in Abuja on April 29, 2026.

The initiative aims to restore degraded farmlands, improve fertilizer efficiency, enhance climate resilience, and ultimately achieve food sovereignty in Nigeria.

Speaking at the launch workshop, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the program aligns with the federal government’s “Renewed Hope” agenda to revitalize Nigeria’s agricultural ecosystem.

According to the Minister, the initiative will position soil health as a business opportunity, particularly for youth and women in agriculture.

 He announced plans to establish 774 soil laboratories across all Local Government Areas and train 10,000 young people as “Soil Doctors” by 2027, equipping them with digital soil advisory skills.

Under the Nigerian Farmers’ Soil Health Scheme (NFSHS), developed in partnership with organizations such as GIZ, the World Bank-backed ACReSAL project, and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), farmers nationwide will gain access to soil testing services.

Dr. Abdullahi explained that farmers will receive Soil Health Cards with tailored fertilizer recommendations to promote precision agriculture, reduce environmental impact, and improve yields.

“Our objective is clear: to enhance productivity, nourish over 220 million Nigerians, and transform agriculture into a major driver of employment and exports,” he said. “Achieving this is impossible without healthy soils.”

The Minister highlighted the success of the ProSoil project, which has rehabilitated approximately 166,000 hectares of land since 2015 and trained over 280,000 smallholder farmers in soil fertility management.

He also revealed plans to revise the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative to focus on soil-specific blends and introduce carbon farming incentives, enabling farmers to earn from sustainable land stewardship.

In his remarks, Permanent Secretary Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi stressed that soil health is central to Nigeria’s food security future, linking it to productivity, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods.

Meanwhile, Project Manager of GP Soil Matters, Erkossa Teklu, noted that the initiative will strengthen soil data systems, improve stakeholder coordination, and support evidence-based decision-making across the agricultural sector.

As stakeholders push forward with the initiative, Abdul’s call for youth land ownership adds a critical dimension to the conversation highlighting that beyond policies and programs, equitable access to land remains a key factor in unlocking Nigeria’s agricultural potential.