The 17th edition of PiLAF’s Brown Bag Series, held on February 19th, 2026, spotlighted innovative approaches to agricultural programming in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on the topic: “Innovative Agricultural Programming: Lessons from Soil Values Programme in the Sahel.” The session addressed the long-standing challenge of overlapping and duplicated interventions, with Arogunyo Joshua highlighting that multiple programs by different donors often operate in silos, leading to inefficiencies. This duplication is driven by weak central coordination, Nigeria’s federated structure, differing donor priorities, and overlapping funding cycles. To address this, he emphasized the need for dedicated coordinating units within relevant ministries and the development of policy frameworks to guide donor activities, with organizations like PiLAF playing an advocacy role.

A central feature of the session was the Soil Values Programme, a €100 million, 10 year initiative funded by DGIS (Kingdom of Netherlands) and implemented across four countries, including northern Nigeria. The programme is jointly managed by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), alongside five knowledge partners. Rather than running parallel projects, Soil Values complements large scale World Bank Initiatives such as ACReSAL and L-PRES, focusing on soil health, agroecology, inclusive markets, and an enabling policy environment. This innovative structure allows the programme to maximize impact, leverage existing infrastructure, and catalyze additional investments in soil fertility and land restoration.

The session also explored sustainability and long term planning, highlighting Soil Values’ strategy to build the capacity of local partners and integrate support for national programs like the National Soil Health Scheme. Participants including Dr. Oreoluwa Akano, Dr. Benjamin Oyelami, Abubakar R. Garba, Professor Johnson Ekpere, Sani Madi, and Mr. Iredele Ogunbayo discussed scaling the programme, engagement with national soil science institutions, and opportunities for institutional and individual partnerships. Arogunyo Joshua emphasized leveraging existing programs, filling gaps, and fostering institutional learning to ensure lasting impact.

The Brown Bag Series concluded with a reaffirmation of PiLAF’s commitment to supporting innovative agricultural programming in Nigeria and the Sahel region. The session highlighted the importance of coordinated interventions, sustainable approaches, and institutional collaboration to improve soil health, boost crop productivity, and strengthen the resilience of agri-food systems.

Watch the full session here: https://youtu.be/8kRES87tKAQ