Brussels, 26/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 26 April, the European Commission presented the first Soil Atlas of Africa at the joint meeting of the European Union and the African Union colleges of commissioners in Addis Ababa (see EUROPE 10835). With the help of colour illustrations and maps, the Atlas explains the origin and function of different soils and describes the diversity of soil across the African continent, which includes deserts and arid land over 60% of the total surface area, the remainder being essentially composed of highly degraded soil that requires special attention in order to be used for crops. The atlas also covers the main threats that weigh upon this non-renewable resource (population growth and urbanisation, combined with conflicting economic challenges, such as industrial crops for export, the production of bio-fuels, conservation of biodiversity, mineral extraction and carbon sequestration), and measures taken to protect it. The aim is to make up for the current deficit in recent data on African soil resources and to heighten the awareness of political policy-makers and the public of the importance that soil holds for life in Africa and in the world as a whole.
The result of collaboration between the EU, AU and the FAO, this initiative was launched to support and encourage the sustainable use of soil resources in Africa as well as the Global Soil Partnership for Food Security. A group of African and European pedologists (i.e. specialists in the evolution and functioning of soils) of international renown, coordinated by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission has contributed to developing the Atlas.
Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, said: “The soils of Africa have a crucial role in climate change adaptation and mitigation policies and they are the basis for sustainable development and food security. Land productivity is fundamental to reaching many of the Millennium Development Goals”. Maire Geoghegan-Quinn, Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, asserted: “By providing a comprehensive assessment of this limited natural resource we hope to raise awareness of the need for improved protection and sustainable management of African soil”.
The Soil Atlas of Africa sets out some key facts: - 98% of all calories consumed in Africa originate from the soil resources of Africa; - organic matter in the soil can store more than ten times its weight of water, which reduces risk of floods and protects underground water supplies; - Africa's soils store about 200 gigatonnes of organic carbon - 2.5 times more than contained in the continent's plants; - tropical rainforest soils are not naturally fertile but need a constant supply of organic matter from natural vegetation. Deforestation breaks this cycle. A large number of soils in Africa are severely degraded by erosion and by excessive nutrient depletion, which explains their low productivity mainly due to lack of plant nutrients not adequately replenished by artificial fertilisers. Due to rural poverty, African farmers are able to apply only 10% of the nutrients that farmers in the rest of the world return to the soil.
The JRC, in collaboration with the FAP and the African pedologists and soil specialists, will launch an Africa-wide assessment of the state of soil resources during the next conference of the African soil science association, scheduled to be held in Kenya this October. (AN/transl.jl)