2023 World Soil Day: Soil mismanagement may hinder MDG food security

 

All indications have pointed that the mismanagement of soil and neglect of soil health might be a stumbling block to the achievement of MDG 2030 food security of Nigeria.

This was discus by experts and stakeholders at the 2023 world Soil Day held in Abuja on Tuesday, theme “Soil and Water, A Source of Life,” 

During his presentation on soil and water: a source of life Prof Olumuyiwa James Jayeoba the Lead Speaker of the day said pointed at  disclosed that if Nigeria must attaint it place in MDG goals for 2030 there is urgent need to address issues posing risk to soil, Looking at the annual floods and seasonal floods that impinge on it goal.

Jayeoba said farmlands and soils are increasingly undergoing threats that might affect food production and food security in Nigeria which has made necessary the need for sustainable soil management practices such as tillage methods to adopt crop rotation sequence, organic matter management scheme, soil erosion and pollution control and ways to enhance soil. optimum moisture origins at the farmers level remain crucial. 

According to him “SDGs by 2030 and you're expected to have the full benefits of SDGs but there may not we may not be able to achieve that because of the annual floods and seasonal floods that impinge on it go number one no poverty is on goal number two, Zero Hunger is our goal number number three healthy lives ensuring healthy lives. Flooding pinches on clean water and sanitation goal number six. It is on level in water go number 14 and as well as goal number 15 live on land whenever there is flooding that enters the land. All these SDG goals are impacted. How do you manage all that flooding? The position of sediment and all the debris on unproductive land requires cause flooding management. Managing soil for chemical properties and biological properties are not going to waste time. But overall soil health including soil texture, structure, water loading, capacity and return availability must be restored to allow for agricultural productivity after flooding” 

Speaking during the event the Chairman Nigerian Institute of Soil Science (NISS) Prof Ayo Ogunkunle raised awareness on the risk at which the soil currently at risk, which demands the need for soil health to be brought into wide environment debates.

OgunKunle pointed that soil is fast failing across the world as every five seconds about a size of a soccer field is lost by erosion and it is estimated that by 2050 around 90% of the earth soil could be degraded, noting that soil and water are interconnected resources that needs integrated management, because the health of the soil and quality and availability of water are interconnected. He said.

According to him “ improved soil and water management improves the lands capacity to withstand extreme climate events such as drought, floods and sand/dust storms. Just as integrated soil and water management practices provides essential ecosystem services, supporting life on earth and enhancing ecosystem resilience”.

The third presenter Director Agricultural Land and Climate Change Management Service (ALCCMS), FMAFS, Abuja. Mr. Oshadiya Olanipekun  said Production plays a vital role in food security looking at our population, urbanization, we have a high competition for use of water, 

He pointed that looking at the global population has continued to expand and the need for food to eat, has increased the demand for food drive, despite the is ongoing efforts are focused on discovering ways to increase food production by using less water. 

According to him “that's why we keep on talking about climate smart agriculture, Drip irrigation, water management for crops can now be monitored around climate smart approach to efficiently use water. vital for sustainable production and environmentally friendly, healthy cost effective, cost effective and high quality production conditions conducting proper control techniques”

“The most important need of enjoying healthy plants in maintaining an adequate moisture level in the root of the soil during plant growing system, season naturally first of all freshwater and compasses surface water. 

During his presentation on soil and water: a source of life Prof Olumuyiwa James Jayeoba the Lead Speaker of the day said pointed at  

Also speaking the Representative of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abubakar Kayri, Mr. Tarnimu Ibrahim stressed the importance of soil and water which are essential resources for sustaining life on Earth because they are  interconnected resources that need integrated management that require integrated management. Adding that improper soil and water management practices affect directly soil erosion, soil biodiversity, soil fertility, and soil water, quantity and quality so from mismanagement of water or the disconnection between soil and water has led to a lot of problem for the two resources, because when we treat water separately with each one separately, each one of them are affected. He said