… lament absence of soil map in Nigeria
As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to mark World Soil Day, experts have emphasized on the importance of soil survey for increased agriculture yield for the continuous sustenance of humanity, lamenting the absence of soil map in the country, which constitutes huge hindrance.
As the University of Benin (UNIBEN), the Department of Soil Science and Management in the Faculty of Agriculture joined the rest of the world to mark this year’s World Soil Day last Tuesday, with the theme ‘Soil and Water; A Source of Life’, all the experts that spoke emphasized the importance of soil in relationship to the sustenance of humanity as they tasked the government to produce soil map as a guide to cultivation of crops by farmers.
Dr. Aigbovbiosa Samson Umweni is a pedologist: (A scientist who studies soil formation and distribution in the various landscapes), explains that the pedologist is saddled with the responsibility of finding out what kind of soil exists and what crop should fit in.
But here lies the problem in Nigeria, often crops are planted on the wrong soil even when it grows, it produces low yield contrary to expectation of the farmer, he pointed out.
So firstly, the soil should be mapped out for appropriateness of planting the seed, Dr. Umweni said.
“But Edo State, for example, has no soil map except few states in the country but not at the appropriate scale,” he said.
“Governments therefore in the thrust for agricultural boost, should make available the soil map to enable farmers cultivate rightly for the expected yield.
“If we want agriculture to develop, for goodness sake, produce the soil map and what we call land evaluation: specificity of each crop,” he said.
According to him, crops may do well only but in one year of planting in the wrong soil, but thereafter, yield will drop drastically without the help of fertilizer.
This is one of the main reasons agricultural yield with Nigeria local farmers is on a steady decline, he noted. As he emphasised that the knowledge of the soil for specific crop is essential in agricultural practice.
The pedologist therefore urged that government should assemble the experts from the universities to develop soil map for Nigeria, to give direction to farmers instead of going round a dead circle and repeatedly getting the wrong result.
Professor Ikpomwosa Abraham Ogboghodo, a soil micro biologist, said the soil is the recipient of all the waste, important resource created by God and medium for crop cultivation by man.
Ogboghodo also canvassed the need for government to produce soil map for farmers as a necessary guide to cultivation of crops. “For me, that is the beginning of our green revolution. So, let’s do all we can because humanity needs the soil,” he said.
In her comment, Dr. Mrs. Anthonia Nosayama, Head of Department, Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, UNIBEN, said World Soil Day is a day to remind farmers and all stakeholders not only about soil and water, but all of the necessary efforts and actions previously deployed to ensure the availability of food through agriculture for sustenance of humanity.
“If we must sustain life, we must grow crops and if we must eat, crops are part of it. So, what we are doing today; we are only reminding us, don’t abandon agriculture,” she said.
Dr. Mrs. Nosayama advocates the use of compost manure as the best form of fertilizer, even as the experts are moving into the formulation of a new form of fertilizer; ‘compost – mineral’ fertilizer for utmost yield of crops.
“With compost – mineral fertilizer we are introducing gradually into the system, in two, three years, you do not need to apply fertilizer; because of the residual effect of the compost and mineral fertilizer holds for the soil.”
She however admits a gap exists between the experts and policy makers, which needed to be covered; to be able to translate all of this knowledge into yielding the desired result(s) in Nigeria.
In the same vein, the chairman, organising committee of the event, Dr. Mrs. Valerie Uyi Edosa, said, this year’s theme is based on the recognition of inter dependent of land and water in sustaining the eco-system supporting agriculture.
Hence the Committee, she said was able to pull together the thriving part of research; which is the academia, industry and the policy makers represented by members of the Edo State House of Assembly to forming a synergy; towards actualisation of the desired result via the event.
She expressed the belief that the event has fostered a greater understanding of the intricate relationship between soil and water, and has led to informed conservation practices and a more sustainable future concluding, that without the soil, “there is no life.”
Improper soil and water management practices affect soil erosion, soil biodiversity, soil fertility, and water quality and quantity.
While healthy soil plays a crucial role as a natural filter, purifying and storing water as it infiltrates into the ground.
Also contributing, the President, Soil and Land Management Students Association, UNIBEN, Ogegu Uchechukwu ThankGod said; in line with the theme of this year’s celebration, without soil, there will be no life!
Adding that the department seek to use the day to further push for the use of bio fertilizer in place of chemical fertilizers in agriculture; apart from reminding humanity about the importance of soil and its effective management for the sustenance of life.
High point of the day was the field tour in which the organizers were able to demonstrate and explain the importance of soil survey; before siting a farm.
World Soil Day (WSD) is held annually on 5 December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.
An international day to celebrate soil was recommended by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in 2002.
Under the leadership of the Kingdom of Thailand and within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership, FAO has supported the formal establishment of WSD as a global awareness raising platform.
The FAO Conference unanimously endorsed World Soil Day in June 2013 and requested its official adoption at the 68th UN General Assembly. In December 2013, the UN General Assembly responded by designating December 5, 2014 as the first official World Soil Day.
