Ever-changing Farmers’ Needs: NISS Urged To Re-double Efforts

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In view of the ever-changing needs of farmers, the South East (SE) Zonal Office Coordinator of Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS), Prof. Charles Livinus Anija (CLA) Asadu, has asked NISS to re-double it’s efforts in the onerous task of ensuring that farmers, who depended on it for improving their productive capacity and efficiency did not fail.

Prof. Asadu made the call in a welcome address recently in a one-day workshop on Capacity Building for Registered Soil Scientists (RSS), in South East Zone on new innovations and advances in soil science at Nru, Nsukka.

The SE Coordinator warned members that “we are in a changing world and soil Scientists cannot be left out”, pointing out that NISS Registrar’s message was summarised as “in soil science, innovation and product development are essential to keeping up with the ever-changing needs of farmers”.

He said that, “out of the nine innovative topics listed by the Registrar of South East RSS were there to learn and discuss three topics to be presented by experienced RSS as follows:

“1). The use of machine learning to predict soil properties and optimize agricultural productivity by Prof. Peter Ikemefuna Ezeaku.

“2). The creation of new organic amendments made from sustainable plant sources by Dr. Innocent Nwokoma Onyekwere and;

“3). The study of how myrcorrhizal fungi can improve soil health and plant productivity by Prof. Caroline Chibugwu Mba, who was represented by Prof. C.L.A. Asadu.”

In his lecture, Prof. P. I. Ezeaku observed that globally, food and agriculture were essential to the sustainability of every society and Nigeria was no excepion, adding that agriculture played significant role in not just providing food to a country’s teeming population but also accounted for a sizeable percentage of its employment and economy.

Also speaking, Onunwa Akudo Ogechukwu, PhD, the Head of Department of Soil Science and Land Resources Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, a RSS, read the position of the participants in the workshop.

In his goodwill message, Dr. Sam Ogbonna Onyisi appreciated NISS for what it was doing in order to improve agriculture in the zone and urged it to continue in the same spirit because “what your are doing is for our good and the good of our children”.

Present during the workshop include: Emmanuel Inedu and Gbadema Torkwase Queen, both from NISS headquarters, Abuja, Engr. Francis Agbapuonwu, representing the Registrar of NISS, Prof.Victor Chude and Prof. Eneje, Roseta Chizoba, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, among others.

The highlights of the event featured the presentation of certificates to deserving members of NISS in the spirit of the saying that a gold fish has no hiding place and it’s SE Zonal activities and demonstration trials part one and two.

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