#WorldSoilDay – Healthy Soil Fundamental to Food Security and Global Existence In view of the importance of the soil as the foundation of all life on earth and its capacity to feed the ever-increasing global population, the 5th of December has been set aside as the World Soil Day as part of on-going campaign measures to connect people with the soil as well as raise awareness on its critical importance to human existence. Currently the increased quest for greater yields and profits via agricultural activities which include – conventional farming practices, overuse and cultivation of unsuitable land, have led to the depletion of soil resources which cause land degradation and accelerate soil erosion. Nevertheless, good agriculture practice can help restore nutrients, conserve water and prevent soil erosion. The role of soil as a carbon sink and as a carbon store can be strategically optimized through farming techniques that reduce emissions, such as reduced tillage, crop residue management, integrated crop-livestock management, agro-forestry, crop rotations and inter-cropping. According to a World Bank post by Ademola Braimoh, farmers often face substantial socio-economic barriers to the adoption of improved agricultural practices which generate significant private and public benefits. First, most land management practices require significant upfront expenditure that poor farmers cannot afford. Second, the non-availability of inputs in local markets can be a major obstacle. Third, lack of information on the potentials of alternative techniques of farming and limited capacity is a major constraint in many developing countries. Fourth, when technologies are inconsistent with community rules and traditional practices, their adoption is often resisted. Last, willingness and ability to work together is crucial for many technologies such as improved irrigation and communal pastures. The absence of collective action only hinders successful uptake, diffusion, and impact of such land management technologies. The report highlighted the need for public support for farmers by the year 2013, as without it, poor agricultural land management will intensify land degradation, increase farmers’ vulnerability and contribute additional greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The estimated support needed to enable farmers implement improved practices is estimated at $20 billion for Africa, $41 billion for Latin America, and $131 billion for Asia. In other to drive sustainable land management and soil conservation, formalized land tenure should be considered in places where competing demands are high, to enable more sustainable use of soil resources, as well as increased investment in research focusing on soil health and sustainable management.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 11:41:21 +0000
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