Soil Health: Expert Advises Farmers Against Bush Burning

A soil scientist, Dr Ibrahim Kawu, has advised farmers in Gombe State, Northeast, Nigeria, to desist from bush burning in order to preserve the soil health of their farmlands.

Kawu, who is a lecturer in the Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Kashere, in the state, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Gombe on Monday.

He described bush burning and deforestation as major causes of poor soil quality.

He said that “stopping deforestation and bush burning were key to protecting the soil” from excessive evaporation and loss of organic matters needed for its health.

He said that farmers and critical stakeholders needed to pay attention to soil health in view of the role soil plays in food production and availability.

He said that bush burning had become a norm for farmers but warned that the practice causes the soil to lose its ability to absorb and retain water.

According to him, after burning farmlands, the top layer of the soil may become water repellent, which is not good for the soil.

Kawu, who is also a member of the Nigeria Institute of Soil Science, said “that farmers needed more sensitisation against burning their farmlands after harvest or in preparation for a new cropping season.”

The soil scientist said, “that over time, bush burning and other farming activities adopted by farmers in the state had contributed to the depletion of soil nutrients.”

He, therefore, urged farmers and residents to develop soil-friendly attitudes to protect the soil, which he described as a natural resource that needs care.

“Everything we eat for our survival and other basic needs of man come from the soil.

“So, caring for the soil is everyone’s responsibility,” Kawu said.

He further said that it was high time government and other stakeholders took serious action to check the rate at which soil nutrients were being depleted to ensure that food security was achieved.

“Bush burning has remained an existing tool used by farmers in Nigeria to clear their farmlands, and that has really affected soil fertility and productivity over time.

“Burning farmlands after clearing affects the biological properties of the soil that are needed for crop wellbeing.

“The indiscriminate burning of vegetation destroys habitats and disrupts ecosystems, which often leads to a loss of biodiversity.

“Many plant and animal species rely on the diverse habitats provided by the bush, and their displacement can have negative ecological consequences.

“I strongly advise our farmers in the state and country to jettison the act of burning their farmlands.

“It is not good for soil health in the long run,” Kawu advised.

He advised farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices that focus on soil conservation, integrated pest management, and biodiversity preservation that are crucial for the future of crop farming.

NAN/Shakirat Sadiq