Soil Day: FG, experts warn on salt impacts

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to celebrate the 2021 International World Soil Day, the Federal Government (FG) with other experts have warned Nigerians against the negative impact of salt on soil degradation.

This was the message of Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mammod Abubakar and others at the international World Soil Day held at Merritt House last Saturday in Abuja.

 

 Dr. Abubakar said that salinization and solidification are major soil degradation factors to food ecosystem productivity at the arid and semi arid areas of the world.

 

 The minister, said Nigerians must halt soil salinisation in order to boost soil productivity especially in the dry regions of the country.

 

 Represented by Mrs Funke Bamidele, the minister noted that accumulation of excessive soluble salt as sodium, magnesium and calcium in the soil can lead to nutrient imbalance, loss of soil fertility and desertification of arable lands, saying 50 per cent of global soil would be affected by 2050 as soil salinity is projected to take over 1.5 million hectares of farmland per year with annual loss of agricultural productivity estimated at about $31million.

 

 Worried by this alarming statistics, Dr. Abubakar said Nigerian soil scientists need to work with stakeholders to carry out focused research that would address the soil-related problems confronting agricultural food productivity.

 

 Also, the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Agric, Colleges & Institutions, Hon. Munir Babba Dan-Agundi, said soil salinisation has done more immeasurable damages to ecosystems, thereby depleting  ability to provide enough food for the increasing population in Nigeria.

 

 Hon. Dan-Agundi stressed the need to sensitise stakeholders on the importance of halting soil degradation occasioned by salinity and the rest.

 

 Also, the Vice President, National Institute of Soil Science (NISS), Professor Godfrey Nwaka said that the day seeks to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining a healthy ecosystem and the growing challenges of human-beings in soil management, especially in salinization.

 

 Nwaka said that governments, organizations, institutions, communities and individuals around the world, especially in Nigeria, are encouraged to ensure improving soils' healthiness by controlling salinization.

 

 He urged each and everyone to contribute positively to controlling soil salinization to reduce salt impacting negativity on soil in the country. 

 

 Nwaka explained that the NISS was entrusted with the responsibility of leading the offensive and defensive war against soil salinization, saying this is in order to achieve a protective management and conservation of the country’s soils and the ecosystem.

 “This can be achieved by ensuring that soil science professionals and other soil users uphold the principles and requirements of soil protection and management in relation to soil salinization.