Marcos says soil degradation calls for ‘innovative’ solutions

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said the Philippine soil degradation and acidification problem demands the adoption of “innovative” approaches, saying that agricultural productivity will depend on such a solution being found.

The Philippines is losing about 457 million tons of soil annually due to erosion, threatening 75% of the country’s cropland, Mr. Marcos said at a soil health summit, citing a Department of Environment and Natural Resources report. 

“The conversion of land for settlements and the loss of about 47,000 hectares of forest cover every year contributes significantly to soil degradation,” he said, noting that around 11 to 13 million hectares are considered degraded land.

“This is on top of the 2.2 million hectares that suffer from insufficient levels of soil fertility,” he added. “Needless to say, our soil is under threat and to continue to neglect this vital agricultural component will lead to even worse crises in the future.”

Mr. Marcos called for “more informed decisions and much-needed innovation” to address soil health.

“With the focus on sharing information and enhancing programs related to soil health, I believe that we can promote the sustainable use of our soil for the benefit of future generations,” he said.

Senate agriculture committee chairperson Cynthia A. Villar, who was also present during the summit, vowed to support funding for additional soil laboratories in the 2024 national budget.

The President, meanwhile, cited the need to fully mobilize the P523-million National Soil Health Program, which was created under the previous administration, and to implement the Sustainable Land Management program.

“The Administration shall empower the Bureau of Soil and Water Management to achieve these goals, especially through capacitating soil laboratories across the country to yield better data,” he said.

Mr. Marcos also said the government is now mapping soil and land resources, a process which includes soil sample analyses and digital map preparation by the Philippine Soil Land Resources Information program.

“The Administration is also exploring water security for climate resilient rainwater technologies, and the conduct of cloud seeding operations for agriculture, to improve water conditions in production areas, in critical watersheds, and in our reservoirs,” he said, noting that the programs are all part of the government’s the need to mitigate the impact of the El Niño dry spell projected to emerge later this year. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza