Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, The University of Agriculture Peshawar has celebrated a ” World Soil Day 2024″ with a slogan ” Caring for Soils” in collaboration with Directorate of Soil and Water Conservation Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Soil Science Society of Pakistan at the University of Agriculture Peshawar.
Secretary Agriculture Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Atta ur Rahman was the chief guest while Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Jehan Bakht was presiding the event.
Secretary Atta ur Rahman, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Jehan Bakht, Dean Prof. Dr. Iftikhar Hussain Khalil, Director General, Soil and Water Conservation Department KP Muhammad Yasin, Chairman Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences Prof. Dr. Dost Muhammad while addressing that it is a matter of great joy that we are celebrating World Soil Day today. This day has great importance because it guarantees food security. Human needs are derived from soil. They said that The University of Agriculture Peshawar is regularly celebrated the World Soil Day on 5th December to focus on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources. The Day raises awareness on the role of soil management in ensuring soil biodiversity and improving soil health, reducing erosion and pollution, enhancing water filtration and storage, achieving sustainable and resilient agrifood systems, and contributing to carbon sequestration. Climate change is adversely affecting the land, the fertility of the land is decreasing day by day, due to lack of timely rainfall, the land is becoming barren, soil erosion is increasing due to floodplains and the land is turning into deserts. Due to the paving of our houses and streets, rainwater is being wasted in dirty drains instead of being absorbed into the ground they added. They said that due to the construction of residential colonies on agricultural lands, there is a decrease in productivity. Steps and collective efforts are needed to prevent all these problems. They emphasized that awareness must also be created among the common people about this, more and more trees should be planted so that environmental pollution can be reduced and the land can be protected from erosion.
Secretary Agriculture Department KP Atta ur Rahman and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Jehan Bakht
congratulated the Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Peshawar, Directorate of Soil and Water Conservation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Soil Science Society and the students for organizing the successful World Soil Day.
Ex- Dean Prof. (R) Dr. Zahir Shah, Prof. (R) Dr. Farmanullah Khan, Dr. Khadim Dawar, Dr. Ishaq Mian, Dr. Maria Mussarat, Dr. Hameeda Mudasar, Dr. Farmanullah Khan
Director , Directorate General soil and water conservation KP, faculty members, administrative officers and students participated the event. Participants took an awareness walk on the importance of soil and water and cut a cake. Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Jahan Bakht distributed shields.
