Agritech specialist, Bisola Aduba, has urged Nigeria to embrace precision agriculture as a sustainable strategy for increasing food production, saying technology-driven farming can help maximise yields on existing farmland amid growing pressure on the country’s arable land.
Aduba made the call in an interview in Abuja on Wednesday, noting that desertification, insecurity, population growth and competing land-use demands are placing increasing pressure on agricultural resources.
She said farmers in Benue and Southern Kaduna, in particular, should prioritise technology-driven intensification rather than expanding cultivation into new areas, which could worsen conflicts over grazing routes.
“To double yields on half the land without encroaching on stock routes, farmers in Benue and Southern Kaduna must shift from land expansion to data-driven intensification,” she said.
According to her, precision agriculture begins with targeted soil mapping, which enables farmers to identify variations in soil conditions across their farms rather than relying on general assumptions.
She explained that digital soil mapping can provide information on soil acidity, organic matter and nutrient deficiencies, allowing farmers to apply fertilisers and other inputs precisely where they are needed.
The approach, she said, could reduce unnecessary input use, lower production costs, improve soil health and increase crop yields.
Aduba also highlighted the role of drones equipped with multispectral sensors in modern agriculture, noting that the technology can detect crop stress, pest infestations and moisture deficiencies before they become visible to farmers.
She said early detection would enable farmers to take corrective measures promptly, thereby reducing crop losses and protecting household incomes.
The agritech specialist further explained that drone-assisted spot spraying could help farmers apply pesticides and other treatments only to affected areas, reducing chemical use while protecting healthy crops, surrounding vegetation and water bodies.
“Instead of treating entire fields, farmers can focus only on affected areas, cutting chemical use considerably while preserving healthy crops and reducing production losses,” she said.
She added that precision agriculture also incorporates sensor-based irrigation systems and automated planting technologies, which can improve water efficiency and optimise plant spacing.
According to Aduba, delivering water directly to crop root zones and maintaining appropriate plant populations can significantly increase yields per hectare without requiring farmers to cultivate additional land.
She also identified digital mapping and geo-fencing as useful tools for improving relationships between farmers and pastoralists.
She said clearly mapped farm boundaries and designated grazing corridors could reduce encroachment, prevent avoidable conflicts and promote more sustainable land-use practices.
Aduba therefore called on governments, agricultural extension agencies and development partners to expand farmers’ access to digital soil information, drone services, precision irrigation systems and other agricultural technologies.
She stressed that wider adoption of precision agriculture would help Nigeria increase productivity, improve farmers’ incomes and strengthen food security while responding to declining arable land and growing environmental pressures.
