Dr. Mehmet Keçeci, Director of the Soil, Fertilizer, and Water Resources Central Research Institute under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, stated that they are conducting numerous projects such as new generation nano fertilizer trials and implementation of climate scenarios to preserve soil quality.
On the occasion of World Soil Day on December 5th, Keçeci, in an assessment to an AA correspondent, mentioned that they are working on improving soil quality.
Highlighting that feeding the continuously increasing global population is a significant problem and that, although there are studies on soilless agriculture, it won't meet the food demand of the growing population, Keçeci drew attention to the misuse of agricultural lands.
"This situation makes the conservation of agricultural soils and their sustainability even more important," said Keçeci, noting that agricultural soils are continuously diminishing due to industrialization, increasing urbanization, and excessive use of chemicals among other factors.
Keçeci expressed that since 1954, they have organized hundreds of training sessions, workshops, and field days for the conservation of soil and water resources, and have been conducting R&D activities, saying, "Our most important duty is to protect and take care of our natural resources and to pass this awareness to future generations. In observance of World Soil Day, we are actively engaged in a variety of projects aimed at enhancing soil health through methods like compost and biochar applications, advanced soil tillage techniques, pioneering trials with next-generation nano fertilizers, and the encouragement of microbial fertilizer production to bolster soil microbiota. Furthermore, our efforts extend to biological erosion control, strategies to curtail greenhouse gas emissions, and exploring the future of crop production under varying climate scenarios."
Every Five Seconds, Soil the Size of a Football Field Disappears Due to Erosion.
World Soil Day, celebrated every year since 2014 on December 5th, aims to raise awareness about the importance of soil, and encourage its conservation and sustainable land management. This day highlights the role of soil in providing food, supporting ecosystems, mitigating climate change, and also aims to increase awareness about significant environmental issues such as erosion, loss of organic matter, and decrease in soil fertility that can result from soil degradation.
Industrialization and poor management of agricultural lands are lowering soil quality. While soil erosion has historically been caused by climatic factors, intensive agriculture, deforestation, and pollution also accelerate the process, exposing loose soil to strong winds, heavy rain, and other elements.
An area of soil equivalent to a football field is eroded every 5 seconds. It is projected that up to 90% of the world's soils could be degraded by 2050. Experts warn that if erosion continues, soil fertility will decrease and be lost, threatening global food supply and food security.
Among the United Nations (UN) Soil and Sustainable Development Goals are the aims to end hunger, ensure food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
The Soil, Fertilizer, and Water Resources Central Research Institute plays a crucial role in advancing these objectives through its focused research and projects.
