By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Agriculture experts have called for increase in soil productivity and to halt soil salinization.
World Soil Day was celebrated on Sunday, December 5, with the theme “Halt soil salinisation; boost soil productivity.”
“Soil salinisation” is a major drawback in agricultural production. This mostly happens in arid areas where soluble salt ions accumulate to salinity levels that adversely affect agricultural and environmental health.
Hence the thematic call on WSD to functionally halt soil salinisation in order to bolster and boost agricultural production.
Commemorated annually worldwide since 2002, WSD was initiated by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as a platform to spread awareness about the need for effective soil conservation.
Indeed, soil has been equated to the very life itself, and the regular awareness celebration on WSD aims to improve soil health – while stressing upon the present generation the importance of soil preservation and conservation for future generations.
In due course of events, in 2002, the Vienna-based International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) recommended establishing a World Soil Day especially for this.
The recommendation was taken up with alacrity by FAO, and the WSD proposal was officially adopted by the UN General Assembly, which designated December 5, 2014 as the first official World Soil Day.
To further stress the importance of healthy soils and sustainable management of soil resources, FAO designated 2015 “International Year of Soils” (IYS-2015).
Then, just as soon, the IUSS President of the Day, Prof Rainer Horn, declared 2015-2024 “International Decade of Soils” (IDS: 2015-2024), partly to celebrate achievements of the International Year of Soils 2015 – and work on future soils-related challenges…
The three phases – namely World Soil Day, International Year of Soils-2015, and International Decade of Soils (2015-2024) – “stress the key roles played by soils in addressing the major resource, environmental, health and social problems which humanity is currently facing”.