The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), says it is committed to providing technical assistance towards controlling soil erosion and environmental degradation in the country.
Suffyan Koroma, FAO Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, said the organisation was committed to working with government and private organisations to stop land degradation, promote soil conservation, improve soil fertility and productivity, and promote food security.
Koroma gave the assurance at the “Experts Dialogue’’, part of activities to commemorate the World Soil Day (WSD), organised by the Nigerian Institute of Soil Science (NISS), in collaboration with FAO and the Soil Science Society of Nigeria (SSSN).
The theme for 2019 is “Stop soil erosion, save our future”.
He noted that FAO and NISS had a long-standing relationship and a shared commitment to protect Nigeria’s soil, increase agricultural production and ensure a secure future for the coming generation.
He said: “Each time you step on soil, it takes 200 to 400 years to form the ones under your feet. So do all you can to save some good ones for the next generation, their survival depends on it.
According to Koroma, the ability of households to comfortably feed their children with diverse diets begins with being food secure.
“To achieve this we must strive to control land degradation, even as the population of Nigeria grows and the need to conserve fertile lands mounts.
“Combating erosion should be our starting point. To achieve this requires a thorough evaluation of the various strategies for soil fertility improvement and soil conservation techniques in the country.” (NAN)
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