KVK East Sikkim Celebrated “World soil Health Day”
KVK East Sikkim celebrated World Soil health Day with a view to highlight the importance of soil as a critical component of the natural system and as a vital contributor to the human commonwealth through its contribution to food, water and energy security and as a mitigator of biodiversity loss and climate change. Supporting the healthy soils, integrated management of soil, water, vegetation and biodiversity enables sustainable agricultural production for the environment and farm profits. It is celebrated particularly for farmers charged with responsibility of generating and communicating soil knowledge for the common good. The program was held on 5th December, 2015 at ICAR Sikkim Centre, Tadong. Around 50 farmers from different villages of East Sikkim participated in the programme. Dr. R.K. Avasthe, Joint Director, ICAR Sikkim Centre, Tadong had initiated the program to fulfill the time bound task to the concern experts. Shri P.D. Rai, Hon’ble MP (Lok Sabha-Sikkim) is also aware of the activity on Soil Health Card distribution on the occasion of World Soil Health Day for the farming community of Sikkim keeping in view that Sikkim is converting into Organic Farming state by the end of 2015.
Addressing the gathering Chief Guest Dr. Yashoda Pradhan, Additional Executive Director, Sikkim Organic Mission, FS & ADD, Government of Sikkim briefed about healthy soil which is the foundation of the food system by improving soil health and reducing input costs for farmers. Healthy soil is crowded with microscopic and larger organisms that perform many vital functions including converting dead and decaying matter as well as minerals to plant nutrients as she briefed during her address. Furthermore, she stressed upon the soil organic carbon which needs to increase that will affects the chemical and physical properties of the soil and its overall health. Therefore, it is essential to maintain soil fertility for sustainable organic farming through soil conservation technology as she added.
Dr. Matber Singh, Joint Director (I/c) ICAR, Sikkim Centre described the measures to restore and rebuild soils which have been under cultivation for a long time. He also said that a key to soil restoration is to maximize the retention and recycling of organic matter and plant nutrients, and to minimize the losses of these soil components caused by leaching, runoff and erosion. Thus, the challenge is to identify soil management practices that promote soil organic matter formation and moisture retention and ensure productivity and profitability for farmers in the short term.
Sh. Boniface Lepcha, SMS (Horticulture) welcomed the gathering. Highlighting the importance of soil health, he made better understanding of the linkages between soil life and ecosystem function and the impact of human interventions will enable the reduction of negative impacts and the more effective capture of the benefits of soil biological activity for sustainable and productive agriculture. He also briefed about the importance of Soil Health Card for better management of organic resources to enhance their crops production and productivity.
Coordinating the programme, Dr. J.K. Singh, SMS (Plant Breeding) elaborated the gathering about the programme. He informed the gatherings that 250 soil samples have been analyzed and Soil Health Cards will be distributed to the farmers very shortly. At the end of the programme Dr. N. J. Singh, SMS (Plant Protection) proposed the vote of thanks. Miss Pallabi Phukan, SMS (Agriculture Extension) assisted in the smooth execution of the programme.
