Better soil management focus of IAEA conference
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Kizito Kwena
Scientists, researchers and policy makers from around the world are meeting this week in Vienna, Austria, to address how soil management can boost food security.
The conference has been organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which together with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) researches best soil management practices.
Kizito Kwena, a researcher with the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), says the conference could not have come at a better time.
"We believe that soils can play a role in mitigating the diverse effects of climate change. And, as you know, issues of food security also are very key in the world today, and there is concern all over the world on how to improve productivity and ensure food security. So issues of soil fertility management, soil water management and mitigating and adapting to climate change are very key at the moment." (Duration: 31″)
Delegates hope information from the conference will help farmers, for example in applying the right amount of water and fertilizer to crops, or in indicating which plants fare better in drought-prone areas.
