ESDC would like to Join United Nations in Highlighting Importance of Soil in the Fight against Hunger
According to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), soil is responsible for 95 percent of our food production, and yet fully one-third of our planet's soil is degraded and not recoverable within a human lifespan.
FAO projects a global 60 percent increase in the demand for food by 2050, underscoring the need for robust agricultural systems, beginning particularly at the roots with our soil.
As such, ESDC is proud to join FAO, United Nations member states, farmers, and agriculture cooperatives around the world in celebrating 2015 as the International Year of Soils to increase awareness of this critical issue.
Essential to Food Security
Healthy soils are essential for the efficient production of food. According to the FAO, the threats to soils are climate change, pollution, unsustainable management practices, degradation, and more.
Maintaining and promoting healthy soils is critical to the farming communities with whom we work. ESDC trains farmers in sustainable soil management techniques that boost key nutrients for healthier, more nutritious crops and higher agricultural production.
In West Jeruaslem, Jenin, Tulkarem and Nablus villages, we work with farmer groups to remediate depleted soils through land reclamation, land rehabilitation, opening agriculture roads, terracing, rain water harvesting better management practices and innovative technologies.
In Tubas, ESDC helps farmers about the costs and benefits of improved soil. They are trained on how to complement liquid biogas fertilizers with farm soil that enriches the soil with micronutrients (NPK....etc) for higher yields.
In West Bank & Gaza, ESDC supported Coops/CBOs on soil conservation efforts, composting and terracing to boost production even during drought conditions. Fresh fruits and vegetables, once scarce commodities, became available year round, providing a boost of nutrition in local diets.
Climate Change Adaptation
Through our work, ESDC helps cooperatives and farmers adapt to the impacts of climate change. Soil is a crucial foundation of that work.
For example, in Ramallah villages, ESDC helps farmers gain new skills in how to retrieve and integrate grapes trees into their farms and home gardens to reduce soil erosion and increase overall productivity.
In Tubas, we help livestock farmers provide environmentally sound forage for their livestock. These measures help conserve the soil while giving livestock farmers the ability to raise healthy cattle for market and household use.
In Tubas, Nablus and Hebron, we supported skeptical olive farmers to see the benefits of better techniques to recover soil fertility, control weeds, and lessen erosion and water loss.
In West Bank and Gaza, we connected farmers to a drip irrigation system, equipping them to use fertilizer more effectively and reduce water use.
Smart Soil Management is Economically Sound
Our experience shows that with the right technical know-how and access to resources, farming families can make the most of their land in ways that are both environmentally sustainable and economically sound.
We applaud the international community for highlighting soils and their important foundation for human life and farming families' prosperity.
Visit the 2015 International Year of Soils website for more information.