From Félix Ikem, Nsukka
The Nigerian Institute of Soil Sciences (NISS), South East Zone, reiterated the Institute’s commitment to ensure good soil management for sustainable agricultural production for food and nutrition security in Nigeria.
Professor Charles Asadu, NISS Southeast Zone Coordinator, revealed it on Saturday in an interview with reporters in Nsukka in commemoration of this year’s World Soil Day on the theme ‘Stop soil salinization, increase soil production. “
He said that the preservation of carbon in the soil is necessary to keep the soil active in order to effectively perform its functions for agricultural production and human survival, adding that the institute is responsible for regulating the profession of soil science in Nigeria.
“Soil salinization and sodification are major ecosystem-threatening soil degradation processes and are recognized as some of the most important issues globally for agricultural production, food security and sustainability in arid regions and semi-arid.
“The celebration of World Soil Day 2021 aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining a healthy ecosystem and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges of soil management, combating soil salinization, raising awareness soils and encouraging societies to improve soil health.
“NISS is an agency under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, whose mandate is to regulate the profession of soil science in Nigeria and to provide a scientific basis for improving and maintaining the productivity of soil resources with a minimal environmental degradation, especially with regard to food production in the country, â€he said.
Asadu, a professor of soil science further stated that “According to information provided by farmers in the south-east and extension agents, the main soil problems in the area and in Nigeria in general include; soil acidity, low average soil nutrients, indiscriminate bushfires, flooding and soil erosion, among others. “
The coordinator whose NISS zone office was inaugurated in January this year and resides at UNN while calling on farmers and other land users to always consult their office for professional advice added that the zone office is responsible for of the responsibility of coordinating the activities of the institute at the root level.
“At the area office, we execute NISS policies at state and local government level, conduct mandate-driven training workshops for farmers to achieve good agricultural practices.
“Farmers and other land users in the south-east should take advantage of what we offer to the office, as a good knowledge of how the soil could be managed will help meet the challenges of food security,” he said. -he declares.
However, the Don frowned at the excessive use of inorganic materials on the soil in an attempt to increase its yields, warning that soil nutrients are not easily replaced when it loses its natural resource.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) declared in 2013 every December 5 World Soil Day.
