increase font size
Soil scientist Marta Camps.
Soil Scientists need to engage more with society and educate people about the importance of soil.
That’s the view of soil scientist Dr Marta Camps of Massey University. Camps is the New Zealand representative on a Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) technical panel helping to organise activities to mark World Soil Year in 2015.
One initiative by FAO worldwide is an awareness campaign about the everyday importance of soil to everyone on the planet.
“Many people now live in cities and are not connected with farms and where food comes from so we need to raise awareness of the importance of soils to food security,” she told Rural News.
“And also about the role soils have on eco systems services, for example in storing carbon, filtering nutrients and its role on hydrology. Soil has many implications for all of us.”
In New Zealand it is planned to appoint three young soil graduates as ‘soil ambassadors’. They will work part time and visit schools to talk about soil.
“We want to try to break the language problem soil scientists have. It has been a problem for many years because they talk in strange technical terms and we want to make soil science attractive. It is complex and this can scare people.”
Camps points out with rising populations and urban sprawl, the pressure on productive land is increasing. The amount of productive land available to each person is rapidly declining and FAO estimates that by 2050 a mere 0.1ha will be available. Urban sprawl in places like Auckland highlights the challenges of protecting productive land.
Camps is on an intergovernmental technical panel planning to finalise a document on the ‘status of soils’ worldwide.
At an international level there are many challenges to getting an agreement on how to manage soils. Cultural and economic differences are the obvious obstacles. It took three years of meetings to establish the global partnership on soils alone.
Finding and supporting ‘champion farmers’ – or top-quality farmers - is one of best ways of getting other farmers to take the appropriate measures to mitigate environmental issues, according to a leading Irish scientist Dr Mary Ryan.
The executive director of the Global Dairy Platform (GDP) Donald Moore says research being done at Massey University's Riddet Institute will help avert world hunger.
New research suggests Aotearoa New Zealand farmers are broadly matching phosphorus fertiliser use to the needs of their soils, helping maintain relatively stable nutrient levels across the country’s agricultural land.
William John Poole, a third year Agribusiness student at Massey University, has been awarded the Dr Warren Parker and Pāmu Scholarship.
The head of Massey University's School of Agriculture and the Environment, Professor Paul Kenyon, says the outlook for the primary sector is positive with record numbers of students enrolling for Massey's range of undergraduate courses in the primary sector.
Penske Australia & New Zealand has appointed Stephen Kelly as the general manager of its Penske NZ operations, effective immediately In this role he will oversee all NZ branch operations, including energy solutions, mining, commercial vehicles, defence, marine, and rail, while continuing to be based at Penske’s Christchurch branch.
According to the latest Federated Farmers-Rabobank Farm Remuneration Report, released today, farm worker pay growth has levelled off after a post-Covid period of rapid growth.
The Climate Change Commission has recommended maintaining the current New Zealand Emissions Trading System (NZ ETS) settings but warns of a potential unit shortfall as early as 2028.
The Conservative Party warns that the upcoming free trade agreement between New Zealand and India may prioritise increased labour mobility while offering limited reassurance for New Zealand workers.
Southland District Council says it is actively managing the impacts of the current fuel supply challenges to ensure essential services across the district continue to operate safely and reliably.
A large crowd turned out for the last of the field days of the three finalists in this years Ahuwhenua Trophy to determine the top Maori horticulture entity in Aotearoa New Zealand
OPINION: When Donald Trump returned to the White House, many people with half a brain could see the results for…
OPINION: Media trust has tanked because of what media's more woke members do and say.
