‘SOILS: WHERE FOOD BEGINS’
SOIL is of utmost importance as it contributes to growing food, reduces biodiversity loss, and secures energy. Due to the loss of soil and the ongoing phenomenon faced by the world, such as climate change, the United Nations saw the need to raise awareness of the importance of soil loss. World Soil Day is officially to be celebrated on the 5th of December every year.
World Soil Day 2022 is being celebrated under the theme “Soils: Where food begins”; this campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, increasing soil awareness and encouraging societies to improve soil health.
Soil nutrient loss is a major soil degradation process threatening nutrition and is recognised as being among the most important problems at a global level for food security and sustainability all around the globe. Problems like deforestation, bad agricultural practices, and pollution cause soil degradation and erosion.
World Soil Day 2022 “Soils: Where food begins” aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, increasing soil awareness, and encouraging societies to improve soil health.
Soil is like a world that is made up of organisms, minerals, and organic components that provide food for humans and animals through plant growth.
Just like us humans, soils need a balanced and varied supply of nutrients to be healthy. Within the agricultural systems, nutrients are lost during each harvest. If soils are not managed sustainably, fertility is progressively lost, and soils will produce nutrient-deficient plants, which directly affect crop production and impact economic growth.
Soil nutrient loss is a major soil degradation process threatening nutrition. It is recognised as being among the most critical problems at a global level for food security and sustainability all around the globe.
We can work to correct this global phenomenon!
* Apply fertiliser during selected periods to prevent storm run-off
* Select fertilisers that do not have a high phosphorous and or nitrogen content
* Reuse crop production waste as fertilisers for the land
* Use vegetative buffers which work as filters around surface water
“Did you know that there are more living organisms in a tablespoon of soil than people on Earth?”
(#WorldSoilDay)
You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Communications, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
