World Soil Day 2017 message from Yap CRE
By: Murukesan Krishnapillai
December 5 – It’s that day of the year again!
Today, the attention of the world is being focused on many pressing issues affecting soils – erosion, salinization, loss of organic carbon, loss of biodiversity, contamination, compaction, acidification and degradation – through World Soil Day.
World Soil Day is an annual observance celebrated on December 5th to highlight soil’s importance on Earth. The theme of World Soil Day 2017 is “Caring for the Planet starts from the Ground.” Its objectives are to: 1) raise awareness on the importance of sustaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing challenges in soil management and, 2) raise the profile of healthy soil by encouraging governments, organizations, communities and individuals around the world to engage in improving soil health.
Soil is a finite natural resource. On a human time-scale it is non-renewable. Healthy soils are key to mitigating and adapting to climate change, reducing forced migration, preserving biodiversity, providing clean water, achieving food security and improving nutrition. For all these reasons, it’s high time World Soil Day became known to more people than just scientists concerned about the welfare of our planet.
Soil plays an important role in the Sustainable Development Goals too with direct links to several global goals as well as interlinkages and cross cutting issues. Therefore, it is imperative to focus on soil health if we want to achieve these goals.
Improving the health of a nation's soil is one of the most important endeavors of our time. By educating the public about the positive impact healthy soils can have on productivity and conservation, we can help our farmers feed the population more profitably and sustainably now and for future generations.
Today, we urge you to step outside and work in your garden or backyard, go to a taro patch or simply go for a walk... dig in and see, dig in and smell, dig in and feel! See, feel and smell the difference of healthy soil. Dig a little, learn a lot! See if, OMG! (Organic Matter Gone)! Because, soil organic matter is the very foundation for healthy and productive soils.
The success of World Soil Day depends on you and everyone’s involvement! A general engagement, both individual and collective, is required for disseminating knowledge and awareness of the value of the soil beneath our feet. Pretend that no Wi Fi today; instead, talk to your students, talk to your colleagues, talk to your friends and families, talk to your neighbors. Spread this message.
Happy World Soil Day!
