SAU Observes World Soil Day

:Agriculture and soil experts have expressed their concern over rapid impact on the productivity of the soil, saying, "We are poisoning the land, which we consider our mother".

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Dec, 2022 ) :Agriculture and soil experts have expressed their concern over rapid impact on the productivity of the soil, saying, "We are poisoning the land, which we consider our mother".

They expressed these views while addressing a conference 'Soil: Where Food Begins', organized by Department of Soil Science Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam on Tuesday in collaboration with Soil Science Society of Pakistan, Farm Advisory Center of FFC and Azeems Private Limited in connection with World Soil Day.

In his address, Vice Chancellor of Sindh Agriculture University Dr Fateh Marri said agriculture was the only sector that could contribute more to the development of the country, but due to lack of training of farmers and using unnecessary fertilizers and pesticides, the productivity of the soil was gradually decreasing.

The experts should play their due role to protect the soil along with educating farmers on the use of organic fertilizers to maintain life on agricultural land, he emphasized.

Dr Inayatullah Rajpar, Dean of the Faculty of Crop Production and Soil, said that soil degradation, lack of knowledge about use and importance of fertilizers among farmers were increasing soil related problems.

Presenting her paper on soil, Chairperson of Department of Soil Science, Prof. Dr Mehrunisa Memon said that 95 percent of food came from the soil, but due to non-utilization of organic fertilizers, the productivity of the land was declining.

In order to restore the soil, she suggested the promotion of the practice of organic fertilizers and their evaluation on a scientific basis to meet the lack of minerals and nutrients required by the soil.

Dr Hafizullah Babar, Director of Soil Fertility Institute of Sindh Agriculture Research Institute said, "We treat the earth as a mother and we are killing it ourselves by poisoning it. The lack of nutrients from the soil is an alarming situation for the whole country and there is a need of saving the earth through prioritizing biodiversity", he said.

Earlier, an awareness rally was also organized from the soil science department to the admin block, while awards were also distributed among the winners of poster competition.