Professor Prof James Adediran, Professor of Soil Fertility and Organic Agriculture, has called on Federal Government to prioritize soil research and invest in it for the good of humankind.
Adediran stated this while delivering the 362nd Inaugural Lecture at Oduduwa Hall, Obafemi Awolowo University, on June 14th, 2022, in Ile-Ife.
In his lecture, titled, “The Natural Treasures Inherent in Soil: Explore and Manage It for Agricultural Production, Sustenance of Life and Survival of Mankind,” he said that the soil makes up life and that there are treasures in it which must be explored, exploited and replenished.
According to him, the soil has treasures and there is need to explore it, manage it for Agricultural Production for sustenance of humankind.
Adediran reiterated that the soil is very important to the human race, adding that God created human beings with the soil and from the soil, stressing that we will all go back to the soil.
He recalled that when Adam and Eve committed sin in the garden of Eden, God cursed him and his generations by using the same soil, saying that he would till the soil and toil with labour and sweat until he died.
Adediran highlighted the importance of the soil and its elements which make up life with certain treasures that make life sustainable to mankind.
He explained that plants, foods, fruits, vegetables and animals consumed by human beings are products of the soil.
He explained that there are so many ways we could manage the soil, that could replenish nutrients if they are missed in the soil.
He stated further that when we harvest our crops, we take some nutrients away, that we eat some of these nutrients, noting, however, that as we consume the yields of the soil, we also pass them out back to the soil.
Adediran said the nutrients we take from the soil would have to replenished back to the soil.
He advised humanity to explore the treasures of the soil and manage these treasures well.
Prof. Adediran said that whatever we do, we should take care not to damage the soil, that we need to take care of the soil and that if we do so, automatically, we are taking care of ourselves, of this generation and the generations to come.
He appealed to the Federal Government to give adequate attention to soil research in the country’s Agricultural Policy and urged all tiers of Government to promote Soil Testing Programmes and provide subsidy for Soil Testing to Nigerian farmers.
The Agriculturalist also called for recycling of organic wastes into fertilizers and the promotion of technologies on Integrated Soil Fertility Management involving alternative utilisation of resources. This, he said, should be encouraged by the Governments among Nigerian farmers.
Prof Adediran was the former Executive Director, Institute of Agricultural Research & Training (IAR&T) Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Oyo State.