FG restates commitment on climate change mitigation, to ensure soil productivity

By Agency Report

The Federal Government has restated its commitment to climate change mitigation to ensure soil productivity and food security in the country.

Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development disclosed this  in Nsukka on Saturday in a keynote address.

During the Soil Science Society of Nigeria (SSSN) 47th Annual conference held at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

With the theme "Tropical Soil and Water Resources Management: Climate Change Mitigation for Functional Ecosystem Services and Food Security,"

Umakhihe said that, all the technical departments in the ministry take issues of soil serious in the pursuit of their vision to prevent soil pollution and degradation.

"Ensuring food security is the major mandate of our ministry and we have been taking the issue of soil serious, to achieve the mandate.

"The ministry has made a lot of contributions towards climate change mitigation to help maintains the soil productivity and achieve food security.

"Government has responded in many ways on issue of climate change mitigation through series of interventions and collaborations with relivant ministries and agencies.

"In the past few years, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security through the Department of Agriculture, Land and Climate Change Management Service (ALCCMS) has invested so much on climate change mitigation strategies.

"In the areas of water harvesting, small-scale irrigation techniques, land and water conservation, and management strategies in many parts of the countries have  recorded good results," he said.

The Parm Sec who was represented by  the director in the ministry Mr. Oshadiya Olanipekun,  appealed for collaborations among all the stakeholders in the maintenance of good health of the soil  to ensure improved agriculture productivity.

He explained that, climate change had resulted in loss of soil organic matter, reduction in moisture content and loss of soil structure,.

"Disruption in rainfall intensity affects water resources and food production are already a threat to ecosystem services and food security,"he added.

In a remark, Prof Charles Igwe, the Vice-Chancellor of UNN  while declaring the conference open commended  the number of soil scientists and other stakeholders in agriculture and agro-allied industries present in the conference and others participating virtually.

"This  is commendable and raised the hope that agriculture will soon regain its pride of place in the country.

"The theme of the conference captured what the country requires to tackle the problem of agriculture improvement as well as achieving food security.

"Our life and agriculture depend solely on soil, we cannot afford to toy with our soils as it amounts to  playing with the life of entire citizens.

"I have no doubt that gallaxy of soil scientists and agriculturists participating in this  conference will proffer solutions on how to achieve food security in the country  through adequate soil management.

The VC who is also a soil scientist and a member of SSSN said that, soil information dissemination should be field-based to help reach all farmers both in urban and rural areas

Speaking,  Prof. Mohammed Jibrin, National President of SSSN said that, the annual conference of the organisation represents a convergence of minds, hopes, dreams and aspiration for better and more sustainable management of soil resources.

"It is also a learning and networking opportunity, that's why all soil scientists in Nigeria look forward  for this annual conference.

"This year's conference theme  aligns perfectly with the current UN decade of ecosystem restoration (2021 to 2030).  the need to restore our planet's fragile ecosystem while at the same time addressing food security challenges.

"As we continue the journey towards sustainable management of our soil resources, mitigating the impacts of climate change, restoring our ecosystem and ensuring food security,

I extend my special gratitude to Local Organising Committee (LOC) all who contributed in one way or the other in making the 47th annual conference a  success," he said.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the LOC, Prof. Charles Asadu,  commended participants for attending the conference from different parts of the country.

Asadu said he had no doubt that, the outcome of the conference would provide policy guidelines for government  and stakeholders in addressing soil problems as well as achieving food security. NAN

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Football a veritable tool to engage youths against crime, drug abuse - Chief Ngwu

Image
Chief Austin Ngwu, one of the Sponsors of the 2023 Nsukka Town Youths Football League has commended the Nsukka Town Youths Association (NTYA) for using football competition to campaign against crime and drug abuse among youths. Ngwu made the commendation in Nsukka at the weekend during the grand finale of the 2023 Nsukka Town Youths Football League competition held at the Nsukka Township Stadium in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State with the theme; "Shoot-Out Drug Abuse among the Youths." He said that football competition and other sports remained one of the veritable tools to engage the youths meaningfully and prevent them against crime and drug abuse, stressing that the competition was meant to sharpen the skills and fish out hidden talents among youths in the area while discouraging them from illicit drugs use. "I commend Nsukka town youths for using the football league to drive the campaign against the use of illicit drugs among youths in the area. "
Read more

Imo State is over due, to occupy the position of VC in UNN - Commissione

Image
By Agency Report Prof Boniface Nworgu, the Imo State Commissioner for Science and Technology says, Imo State is over due to become the Vice-Chancellor of University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). Nworgu said this in Nsukka on Friday during the Maiden Heartland Lecture organised by Imo Professors Forum (IPF) in UNN with the team "Identity, Determination and Self Realisation through Knowledge-based Idealogy". The commissioner who chaired the occasion in a remark, wondered why  Imo State a  critical stakeholde in South East and in UNN had not been allowed to produce the Chief Executive Office  (CEO) of the university  since 1960 the institution was established. "For over half a century of UNN existence nobody of Imo extraction has become the VC of the university, the situation has put a feeling of isolation and marginalisation on the people from the state. "In spite the fact that IPF have many erudite professors  who have distinguished themselves in their different area
Read more

Don kicks against implementation of Oronsaye report

Image
By Agency Report Prof Jonah Onuoha, former Head of Department Political Science, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) says the present economic hardship in the country is not the best time to implement the Steve Oronsaye Panel report of 2012 that will make many civil service lose their jobs. Onuoha who is the Director, Centre for American Studies in UNN said this in Nsukka over the weekend while reacting on recent approval by  Federal Executive Council (FEC) for full implementation of Oronsaye report. He alleged that it was because of high rate of unemployments that was responsible for hardship and insecurity in the country. The Political Scientist said that it would not be proper for government to render more Nigerians jobless in the name of implementing the report in order to cut cost of governance at this critical time. "This is not the best time to implement this report because more Nigerians will lose their jobs and hardship will increase. "Unless government will ass
Read more