“IT takes close to 200 years to form one cm of soil in the tropics and the process is even slower in the temperate regions,” says Dr Jeyanny Vijayanathan, a soil scientist at Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM).
Jeyanny who advocates environmental awareness says: “We cannot reverse soil erosion that is happening for centuries now, but the current generation should be taught to respect the ground that they step on from a young and to use it sustainably.”
Why is this dead organic matter an important natural resource? Soil is under threat like never before due to human interventions such as agriculture, mining, waste disposal and other anthropogenic activities. Soil erosion and pollution are major threats to soil health, and these have a profound impact on food production. This makes agriculture both the cause and victim of soil erosion and pollution.
Jeyanny says sustainability is the way forward.
“With the increasing global population and demand for food and space to live, the world is witnessing a drastic change in land use. The onus is on us to form and strengthen strategic partnerships towards sustainable soil management today and beyond.”
Saving soils is a long-term commitment for everyone, she says.
