SQU holds forum on food security

Muscat: The Department of Soils, Water & Agricultural Engineering at the College of Agricultural & Marine Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) organised a forum on “Soil Cosmos as a Foundation of Food Security” with the participation of researchers from the Netherlands and Oman.
The event was held yesterday under the patronage of Dr. Seif bin Rashid Al Shaqsi, Director of the Directorate General of Million Date Palm Plantations Project of the Diwan of Royal Court.
Dr. Said Al Ismaily, Assistant Professor in the Department, said that healthy soils are essential for achieving food security and nutrition and ensuring the planet’s biodiversity.
At the same time, the level of soil degradation globally is “alarming” and has the potential to threaten food security and send many people into poverty. Sustainable soil management, can contribute to the production of more and healthier food”, he noted.
Prof. Johannes Bouma, Emeritus Professor, Wageningen University and Research Centre, the Netherlands, gave the keynote address on “the role of soils as a central pillar towards food security”.