Soil is a vital contributor to human well-being. Soil is a key element of agriculture on which crops are being grown for the consumption of humans and animals as food. According to the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization, 95% of our food comes from soil, and most of that food comes from family farms, which is a key to alleviating hunger and poverty. But due to the continuous use of soil plus natural calamities and climate change factors soil is facing degradation and desertification. Conservation of soil through proper agricultural practices is a must. With a mission to raise global awareness of soils and the need for sustainable soil management to meet our demands for food security and other essential ecosystem goods and services, the United Nations has declared 2015 as the International Year of Soils.It may be mentioned here that as per UN resolution every year December 05 is observed as the World Soil Day to create awareness of the importance of soil, and how we can preserve and restore it.
To containing soil erosion, planting of trees is very important. Soil must be protected for our sustenance through reducing excess use of chemicals and by increasing scientific soil management practices.
Soil and water through agriculture have provided humans the ability to shift from hunter-gatherer to agrarian societies. Let us protect soil against degradation and desertification through local as well as global action.
Yours truly,
Professor M Zahidul Haque
Department of Agricultural Extension & Information System
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University
Dhaka.
