By Bisola Adeyemo
Marakwet West Sub County Agricultural Officer, Raymond Cheboi, says destruction of soil conservation structures on local farms reduces farm produces.
Cheboi, said this on Monday while making his observation on the effect of soil erosion annually on-farm produces in Ghana.
According to him, severe soil erosion occurs every year washing away fertile soils into the rivers from the highlands, down into the lowlands of the Kerio Valley.
He observed that most of Marakwet West Sub County are sloppy with 30% of it unfit for cultivation.
He said eroded soil takes away plant nutrients leaving the land infertile, which drastically reduces crop yields.
Subsequently, productivity cannot be sustained for long, which makes soil erosion control mandatory for future farming activities.
Cheboi said building terraces and practicing contour farming in the region will protect the soil from being eroded and also retain soil water, which is critical in crop production.
He, therefore, urged farmers to seek technical advice from the agricultural extension officers to get guidelines on the best soil conservation practices for their farms.
