HYDERABAD: The agriculture and soil experts of Sindh have expressed fears over rapid increase in salinity in the soil adding that it poses a serious threat to food security because of damages to agricultural produce of the country.
The experts expressed such fear while addressing a seminar on “Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity” organized on Monday by Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam in collaboration with Soil Society of Pakistan, Soil Science Department and Farm Advisory Centre in connection with the World Soil Day.
Addressing the participants of the seminar, the Vice Chancellor Sindh Agriculture University Dr Fateh Marri said that climate change, rising substandard groundwater in agricultural land and sea water intrusion were the main reasons for increase in salinity in agricultural land.
While emphasizing the need of focusing on reducing the salinity of the soil, he said research on crop cultivation on saline affected lands should be intensified in this regard.
He also announced the establishment of the Bio-Saline Agriculture Center at Sindh Agricultural University.
The Chairman, Department of Soil Science Dr Inayatullah Rajpar said agricultural land of Sindh is most affected by salinity. Though no salinity survey has been conducted in Sindh for a long time, it is feared that at present 6.3 million hectares of land is deteriorating due to salinity, he said.
The Deputy Manager Marketing Fuji Fertilizer Company Abdul Jaleel Jarwar said we have to live with the soil affected by salinity, therefore, biological control can be used to grow crops on land. At present agricultural land covers an area of 7.9 million hectares affected by salt” he added.
The Head of Soil and Environmental Sciences at the Nuclear Institute of Agriculture Nizamuddin Depar said many crops could be cultivated under bio-saline agriculture adding that housing schemes were increasingly being built on agricultural land.
The General Secretary, Soil Science Society of Pakistan Dr Ghulam Murtaza Jamro said that healthy soil was an important component of agriculture and agricultural scientists can solve the problems being faced by local farmers by providing them with
the latest technology information on soil fertility.
Among others, Director Nuclear Institute of Agriculture Mehboob Ali Siyal, Dean Dr Naimatullah Leghari, Dean Dr Syed Ghiasuddin Shah, Project Manager Action Against Hunger Pakistan Zahoor Ahmed Palejo were also present on the occasion.
In connection with the World Soil Day, a poster exhibition was also displayed by the students regarding the soil. The Vice Chancellor distributed cash prizes among the successful students.