Soil Science

While this remains controversial, it is important to note that the quest to produce adequate amount of food to feed a growing population is still dependent on soil. Soil Science deals with the study of the earth surface for various purposes including food production and construction of infrastructure such as roads, drainage, and factories. It involves studying the formation of soils, their classification, composition (physical, chemical and biological) and management. Soil is home to millions of micro-organisms; this is why it is sometimes referred to as a “living entity”. The destruction of soil biodiversity negatively influences other aspects of the ecosystem including food production and environmental management and protection. Besides this and in addition to its contributions to food production and construction, soil has also been discovered to play a major role in climate change adaptation and mitigation through carbon sequestration.