How to maintain healthy soils

Soil is a mixture of organic matter like dead decaying plants and animals, minerals like phosphate, gases like oxygen, liquids like water, organisms like earthworms and other living organisms. Soil is the base for many of our activities as human beings from anchoring buildings, to water purification, storage and supply, supporting life on earth and most importantly acting as a carbon sink- it stores carbon that when released would result in global warming.

Soil in Africa is the base for all agricultural production as soilless production has not yet been widely adopted. It is therefore imperative that farmers keep their soil healthy to improve productivity. The following are some of the key components to maintaining a healthy productive land.