As the global community marks World Soil Day, an agriculturist has called for proper regulation of human activities on the soil to prevent havoc.
A lecturer in the department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Professor Raphael Omolehin gave the advice in an exclusive interview with Radio Nigeria to commemorate the World Soil Day for this year.
Professor Omolehin identified human activities that caused havoc to the soil to include erosion, oil spillage and improper disposal of industrial wastes.
The agriculturist noted that if not properly checked, those chemicals picked in the contaminated crops could lead to cancer in human-being.
Speaking on this year’s theme ‘Soil: where food begins’, Professor Omolehin called for reclamation of degraded land at Niger Delta regions to give livelihood to both human and acquatic species especially in the region.
While calling for all-year-round farming to guarantee food security, the agriculture-economist submitted that proper utilization of soil through irrigation farming would aid food security, provide jobs and income for teeming unemployed youth.
Since 2002, World Soil Day is celebrated every December 5, to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources.
Lanre Omotoso
