Earth’s productive capacity will last only for thirty-five years if the farmers didn’t use organic fertilizer – experts warn
Tando Jam
The agriculture and soil experts of Sindh Agriculture University expressing concern over the rapid decline of the soil productivity of the soil, have called for halting the use of shortcuts and poisoning the land, and feared that the earth’s productive capacity will last for only thirty-five years if such practices continued.
They expressed such views at a seminar on the occasion of World Soil Day titled “Soil: where food begins”, held at the Senate Hall of Sindh Agriculture University on Tuesday. The seminar was organized by the Department of Soil Science, in collaboration with Soil Science Society of Pakistan, Farm Advisory Center of FFC and Azeems Private Limited.
In his address, Vice Chancellor of Sindh Agriculture University, Dr. Fateh Marri, said that agriculture is the only sector that can contribute more to the development of the country, but due to indifference to modern agriculture and lack of training to farmers, the land is chaotic and by using unnecessary fertilizers and pesticides, the productivity of the soil is gradually decreasing, so experts have to play a role to protect the soil by using organic fertilizers to maintain life of agriculture land.
He suggested that evaluation of fertilizer use and especially the quality of imported fertilizers should be made mandatory.
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 is increasing soil-related problems.
Presenting her paper on soil, the chairperson of the Department of Soil Science, Prof. Dr. Mehrunisa Memon, said that 95% of food comes from the soil, but due to non-use of organic fertilizers, the productivity of the land is declining. “In the pursuit of obtaining more yield, we have put the land at risk,” she said and suggested that to restore the soil, we must promote the practice of organic fertilizers, and evaluate it on a scientific basis to meet the lack of minerals and nutrients required by the soil.
Shafique-u-Rahman, Head of FFC’s Farm Advisory Center, said that we are doing such a short-cut cycle of soil to get more production, which has reduced the productive life of the land to 30 to 35 years. During the last ten years the climate change and other issues and the gradual increase in population have led to a staggering increase in the number of people affected by hunger. “Two billion people are affected by food insecurity,” he added.
Dr. Hafizullah Babar, Director, Soil Fertility Institute of Sindh Agriculture Research Institute, said we treat the earth as a mother but we are killing it ourselves by poisoning it. “The lack of nutrients from the soil is an alarming situation for the whole country, so we have to save the earth through prioritizing biodiversity, as more responsibility is imposed on experts.”
Dr. Ghulam Murtaza Jamro, General Secretary of Soil Science Society of Pakistan and others also spoke on the occasion. Dean Dr. Manzoor Ali Abro, Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim Keerio, Dr. Syed Ziaul Hassan Shah, Dr. Shahnawaz Marri, Parvez Banbhan of SIDA, Sajid Vistro, Sohail Ahmed and others also attended the seminar.
Earlier an awareness rally was also organized from the soil science department to Admin Block, while awards were also distributed among the poster competition position holder students. (PR)
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