Hollard Insure and Farmingportal.co.za and Agri News Net - Young Agri Writers competition-
Robyn O’Brien said: “We pay the doctor to make us better when we should really be paying the farmer to keep us healthy.
” Farmers are at the start of the food chain, providing not only themselves but people all around the world with food, clothing, work and sometimes even a home. Ways of farming varies and even though they can either focus on row crops, vegetables, livestock or wildlife, they provide what they can to the best of their ability. For farmers to achieve a personal best they need to know all aspects of their farm. Soil is the one aspect that plays a role in each farm and therefore it is of utmost importance to understand and manage it accordingly.
Soil is a material that consists of minerals, organic matter, living organisms, gas and water. Its functions include, but are not limited to, the sustaining of biological activity, regulating of water flow and the purifying thereof, to filter, transform, immobilize and degrade organic and inorganic material, the storing and cycling of nutrients and other toxic elements and to provide support for buildings while providing protection for archaeological treasures. In essence, soil forms an integral part of all life’s essentials.
These abilities of soil to function (soil quality) gets jeopardized by soil degradation. A process of change that limits the ecosystem to deliver to its dependents. This occurs naturally but is accelerated by human activity through deforestation, overgrazing, intensive cultivation, forest fires and construction work.
Finalist- Getting to the root of food security - Lunay Saayman
Degraded soil limits processes within the soil to occur optimally, resulting in a decrease in soil organic matter and soil fauna and an increase in soil-borne pathogens but mostly an increase in soil erosion. This has severe environmental consequences such as flooding, desertification and pollution but also restricts the farmer to provide. To counter all this and restore soil quality and in such soil’s functionality or the farmers’ production abilities, a more sustainable approach is required.
The concept of sustainability is to develop ecosystems that are productive and profitable, conserve the natural resource base, protect the environment, enhance health and safety and to do so over the long term. There is no reason for this to be difficult, one can start by following the simplest sustainable practices such as leaving vegetation on soil surfaces to return nutrients or just raise awareness of the seriousness and to respect our land, our future. If members of different communities work together and help one another this can be achieved quit easily. More management related ways include following a crop rotation system, agroforestry, introducing and maintaining mycorrhizal populations or altering tillage practices.
When we realize the role soil plays in our everyday lives it can help us change how we take care thereof. If we can encourage more areas of our country to shift their focus to support soil quality, we can maybe follow in the footsteps of the rest of the world where the government supports our farmers and promotes sustainable farming and its contribution to climate change. Whether the farmers in your area farms with photosynthesis, soil, biology, row crops, animals or animal feed, they are in need of your support towards soil quality in order to thrive. Let’s help them help us achieve the best for our country.
Lunay Saayman
I am a 22 year old female who has a heart for people, nature and animals. My parents always said that your name goes before you, you walk behind and I’ve lived and am living to ensure that the name walking in front of me holds more promises than questions. The introverted, perfectionist me follows a routine with ease while my extrovert side likes rising to a challenge and enjoys occasional impulsive decisions. I highly value my friendships and relationships with those around me and I accept people the way they are. I am a Christian who is determined to make a success of anything that the future may hold. I solve problems easily and am eager to learn. Planning is one of my greatest strengths and the execution of ideas comes naturally. I believe I am a driven and determined soil science graduate.
