ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore celebrated ‘World Soil Day’ on 5 th December 2018 in a grand way to highlight the importance of soil health in sustaining agricultural production and environmental health. Dr. Subrata Mondal, CGM, NABARD, Kolkata chaired the programme as Chief Guest and Dr. Sushanta Kumar Pal, Prof. Agricultural Chemistry & Soil Science, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, an eminent soil scientist, also graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour.
In December 2013, the UN General Assembly designated 5 th December 2014 as the World Soil Day. The 5 th December for World Soil Day corresponds with the official birthday of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the King of Thailand, who officially sanctioned and financed the event. The Global Soil Partnership dedicated World Soil Day-2018 to the theme Be the solution to soil pollution. About 100 farmers from North & South 24 Parganas, Nadia and Hooghly participated in the programme. Under Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav (MGMG) – a Flagship program of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji, soil samples were collected from 10 clusters of 50 villages across four districts of West Bengal. On this occasion, 155 nos. Soil Health Cards were distributed among the farmers. The program was enriched with the imbibing lectures delivered by Dr. Sushanta Kumar Pal, Professor, Agricultural Chemistry & Soil Science, BCKV on the topic of soil health and its implications on the sustainable agricultural management. He emphasized on the more importance of soil in the present day due to very shortage of organic matter in the crop fields during the last two decades. Dr. Subrata Mondal, the Chief Guest of the program addressed the gatherings with his modest remarks on soil health aspects including optimum nutrient ratio. Because of loss of soil organic carbon, soil structures degrade leading to excessive soil erosion – he proclaimed. He advocated organic farming using cowdung, cow urine, and neem based products for sustainable agriculture. Market-linked production system is the need of the hour-he suggested. “Farmer Producer’s Organisations” have to be imbibed in its true sense for making agriculture as more profitable occupation – he added. Dr. B. K Das, Director, CIFRI in his inaugural address urged the farmers to relook into the soil health of their respective fields which are under degradation due to lack of proper manuring. He also remarked on the need of Pond Health Card in the line of Soil Health Card as to enhance fish production system in rural India targeting towards 2 nd Blue Revolution for doubling farmers’ income by 2022. A number of farmers presented their views on importance of soil health, took oath as to take care on this subject in the days to come and their expectations from ICAR-CIFRI during the program. They acknowledged that they got imbibed both academically and capacity-wise attending the program at CIFRI. A brief presentation on the importance of Soil in Agriculture on World Soil Day-2018 was made by Dr. Srikanta Samanta, Principal Scientist of CIFRI in a modest way. The program will have a long lasting impact in coming future for the farmers.
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