As soil is the very basis for life, the maintenance of soil health is equally important for food security. The director in charge of ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, NK Sharma said this while addressing farmers, agriculture students, scientists and institute staff in a programme held to mark the occasion of World Soil Day on Monday.
Commemoration of the occasion at the institute saw farmers, students and others taking part in the oath ceremony as part of save soil campaign. About a dozen farmers, 50 students of agriculture-related subjects, 30 scientists, 20 technical staff, 40 administrative and other staff of the institute participated in the oath ceremony.
The students were taken on a conducted visit to the museum of the institute with the institute’s soil scientist Trisha Roy conducting the visit. Institute scientist UK Mauya conducted a visit of farmers to the soil testing laboratory and explained to them the whole process of soil sampling and analysis. The participants also had an interactive meeting in the institute’s seminar hall with their queries being addressed by soil scientists present in the event. While soil scientist M Sankar gave a presentation on the subject of the importance of soil for supporting life on earth, the institute’s principal scientist (soils) DV Singh informed the gathering about the National Soil Health Mission. Singh further informed the gathering about the process of soil health card for each farmer’s land holding in the country. Referring to various important aspects to be considered, he also emphasised upon the importance of the representative soil sampling for achieving better impact of the scheme. One of the progressive farmers attending the meeting, Arjun Singh Pundir, shared his practical experience on profitable land husbandry which he had adopted on his small land holding near Dehradun. Faculty member from a private educational institution, Puja Bhatt also shared her views on the occasion. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) national fellow D Mandal also expressed his views while also proposing the vote of thanks on the occasion.