{"id":3494,"date":"2025-12-03T18:56:26","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T18:56:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jeune-independant.net\/en\/?p=3494"},"modified":"2025-12-06T19:09:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T19:09:07","slug":"food-security-the-crucial-challenge-of-soil-preservation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jeune-independant.net\/en\/2025\/12\/03\/food-security-the-crucial-challenge-of-soil-preservation\/","title":{"rendered":"Food security: The crucial challenge of soil preservation"},"content":{"rendered":"

The importance of soils for agricultural development, ecosystem functions, and food security was at the center of a meeting organized yesterday by the National Higher School of Agronomy (ENSA), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).<\/strong><\/p>\n

This meeting, held on the occasion of the World Soil Day, which coincides with December 5 each year, was themed \u201cHealthy soils for healthy cities.\u201d<\/p>\n

The focus was thus placed on the strategic role of soils in maintaining ecological functions, preventing their degradation, and protecting natural resources. This World Soil Day aims to strengthen awareness of the importance of soils for agricultural development, ecosystem functions, and food security.<\/p>\n

For the FAO resident representative in Algeria, Irna Buttoud, \u201cthe valorization and protection of soils remain a crucial but often forgotten issue,\u201d affirming that this day constitutes \u201ca space of encounter between research, innovation, and solutions.\u201d In her opening speech, she emphasized the necessity to coordinate efforts. \u201cI am convinced that together we will reach the common goal, namely to promote knowledge, research, and good soil management practices in urban and peri-urban areas,\u201d Ms. Buttoud stated, reiterating FAO\u2019s ongoing commitment to promoting science to achieve sustainable development goals.<\/p>\n

Several strategic themes were chosen for this scientific day, led by academic researchers and experts, such as soil salinity, a major challenge for the sustainability of Algerian agriculture.<\/p>\n

This is a challenge that must be taken into account, especially as Algeria has embarked on the path to achieving its food security. This was affirmed by Abdelkader Laribi, deputy director of external relations at ENSA, who, in his statement to the press, stressed the need to give great importance to this aspect, stating that \u201cthe issue of soil salinity constitutes a real problem.\u201d A problem present in Algeria, which counts salty soils that \u201crepresent approximately 1.2 million hectares mapped,\u201d and which can reach 3.2 million hectares if salinity levels are considered. He pointed out the existence of primary and secondary salinity, the latter mainly being the result of the quality of irrigation water used. \u201cUsing poor-quality water increases soil salinity levels,\u201d explained Mr. Laribi, who noted the repercussions of this situation on yields. Solutions exist, according to the deputy director of external relations at ENSA, who mentioned \u201cpreventive and curative solutions.\u201d According to him, the preventive approach must be chosen, notably through controlling the water used for irrigation, because, he said, curative solutions are costly. All of this passes through awareness-raising and a consciousness of stakeholders.<\/p>\n

This official also returned to the objective of this day, mainly focused on raising awareness among all relevant actors about the strategic importance of soils. \u201cIt is a rare resource. A non-renewable resource,\u201d he specified, emphasizing the necessity of protecting it. \u201cProtecting soils means ensuring our food security but also ensuring the food security of future generations,\u201d stressed Mr. Laribi, highlighting the work of the school, particularly the pedology department.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe work to develop, improve, raise awareness, and popularize the soil resource.\u201d Preservation as well as sustainable soil management are more necessary than ever, given the effects of climate change. \u201cWe are forced to adapt and propose solutions,\u201d he emphasized.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The importance of soils for agricultural development, ecosystem functions, and food security was at the center of a meeting organized yesterday by the National Higher School of Agronomy (ENSA), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This meeting, held on the occasion of the World Soil Day, which coincides […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3495,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[200],"class_list":["post-3494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-domestic","tag-food-security"],"byline":"Lilia A\u00eft Akli.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jeune-independant.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3494","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jeune-independant.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jeune-independant.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jeune-independant.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jeune-independant.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3494"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.jeune-independant.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3494\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3496,"href":"https:\/\/www.jeune-independant.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3494\/revisions\/3496"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jeune-independant.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jeune-independant.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3494"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jeune-independant.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3494"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jeune-independant.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}