The journey to healthy soil is not limited to the above mentioned practices, however, implementing them will help farmers on the way to improving their soil. Soil degradation is not a problem we can solve immediately, but starting to implement strategies today will assist in slowly restoring the health of our country’s soils. In order to achieve this, the knowledge transfer from scientists to farmers needs to be amended so that knowledge can be accessed, understood and used effectively by the people who need it. Healthy soil leads to clean air, healthy plants, healthy animals, healthy people and healthy profits too. In essence, effective soil management is about producing healthy food optimally within the boundaries of the ecosystem.
Take home message
- There is no consensus on management practices and soil indicators that enhance and measure soil health amongst researchers and subsequently land managers.
- More research still needs to be conducted in order to better understand the dynamics of different management practices and their effect on soil health.
- The soil is the cheapest source of feed for dairy farmers, managing for soil health is an investment which does not bare the fruits immediately but when it does, the returns are big.
References
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF). 2010. Abstract of agricultural statistics. Directorate of Agricultural Statistics. Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, Pretoria. Available at: http://www.daff.gov.za/Daffweb3/Portals/0/Statistics%20and%20Economic%20Analysis/Statistical%20Information/Abstract%202010.pdf
FAO. 2015. Fact sheet: Soils are the basis for healthy food production. Viale delle Terme di Caracalla. Rome, Italy.
ISRIC. 2002. Global Assessment of Soil Degradation (GLOSAD): World map of the status of human-induced soil degradation. Available at: http://www.grida.no/graphicslib/detail/degraded-soils_c4c4
Chung H, Zak DR, Reich PB, Ellsworth DS. 2007. Plant species richness, elevated CO2, and atmospheric nitrogen deposition alter soil microbial community composition and function. Global Change Biology 13:1–10.
Eisenhauer N, Cesarz S, Koller R, Worm K, Reich PB. 2013. Plant diversity effects on soil food webs are stronger than those of elevated CO2 and N deposition in a long-term grassland experiment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 110: 6889–6894.
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). 2014. Land degradation neutrality: Resilience at local, national and regional levels. UN Campus, Platzder Vereinten Nationen 1: 53113 Bonn, Germany.
Clark S. 2007. Fact sheet: Kikuyu pasture. Department of Primary Industries. Primary Industries Research Victoria. Hamilton, Victoria. Available at: http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/pastures/Html/Kikuyu.htm
Botha PR. 2015. Farmer’s weekly: Grazing perennial ryegrass. Available at: http://www.farmersweekly.co.za/farm-basics/how- to-crop/grazing- perennial-ryegrass/
Findlay N. 2016. Research and technology bulletin: Perennial ryegrass for dairy cows grazing from the third-leaf stage. KZN Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Agricultural Crop Research Services. Soil Fertility Research, Cedara.
Grassroots
August 2017
Vol. 17, No.3
OPINION
14