As Nigeria celebrates the World Soil Day (WSD), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has committed to provide technical assistance in the effort to control soil erosion and environmental degradation in the country.
Mr. Suffyan Koroma, FAO Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, said the organization was committed to working with the government and private organisations to stop land degradation, promote soil conservation, improve soil fertility and productivity and promote food security.
Koroma gave the assurance at the ‘experts dialogue’ to commemorate the Day organised by the Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS) in collaboration with FAO and the Soil Science Society of Nigeria (SSSN).
The theme for 2019 is “Stop soil erosion, save our future”.
He noted that FAO and NISS had a long-standing relationship and shared commitment to protect Nigeria’s soil, increase agricultural production and ensure a secure future for the coming generation.
According to him, each time you step on soil, it took 200 to 400 years to form the ones under your feet. So do all you can to save some good ones for the next generation. Their survival depends on it.
Koroma emphasised that the ability of households to comfortably feed their children with diverse diets begins with being food secure, adding that “to achieve this we must strive to control land degradation, even as the population of Nigeria grows and the need to conserve fertile lands mounts.
“Combating erosion should be our starting point. To achieve this require thorough evaluation of the various strategies for soil fertility improvement and soil conservation techniques in the country.
“To reduce erosion rates on farmlands, reliable and proven soil conservation technologies must be adopted and these include ridge planting, no-till cultivation, crop rotation, mulches, living mulches, agro-forestry, terracing, contour planting, cover cropping and installation of windbreaks.
“I implore all organisations to work toward including soil erosion management and control in future project plans with specific budget lines.
“We must work to ensure that people have safe and nutritious food without endangering essential ecosystems services,” he said.
He noted that the WSD celebration reminds us of the importance of soil as a critical component of the natural system and a vital contributor to human well-being and that this year’s theme “Stop soil erosion, save our future” reminds us of the non-renewability of the soil and the need to preserve it for a sustainable future, as its loss or degradation is not recoverable within a lifespan.
“In Nigeria, 70 percent of land is used for agricultural activities. Land serves as source of water and foster agroforestry as well as non-agroforestry exploration.
“However, low productivity due to degradation, deforestation, erosion, inappropriate agricultural practices, overgrazing and weak institutions is experienced,’’ he added.
Nigeria, according to him, has the highest rate of deforestation of primary forest in Africa with annual losses estimated at 11.1 percent, while “desertification in the northern part of Nigeria is advancing consistently at the rate of 0.6km per annum with as much as 351,000sq km regarded as potential desertification area.
MM/GIK/APA