Zambia commemorates 2025 World Soil Day
Hounarable Reuben M'tolo inspecting the Irrigation water reticulation at Sinazongwe Irrigation Scheme
By Staff Writer
Ministry of Agriculture joined farmers, researchers and stakeholders at Mount Makulu Central Research Station in Chilanga to commemorate the 2025 World Soil Day, held under the global theme “Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities.”
The event was graced by the Acting Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Dr. Chizumba Shepande, who represented the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Reuben P. Mtolo, MP.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister, Dr. Shepande reminded participants that the health of Zambia’s soils is directly linked to the wellbeing of both rural communities and the country’s expanding urban centres.
Dr. Shepande noted that soils quietly sustain daily life:purifying water, supporting biodiversity, storing carbon, and feeding millions of households.
“There can never be sustainable food systems or resilient cities without healthy soils,” Dr. Shepande said, stressing that every Zambian, whether a small-scale farmer or an urban resident, is connected to this natural resource.
Dr. Shepande highlighted Government’s continued investment in sustainable soil management through ZARI and the Department of Agriculture.
Key interventions include the promotion of conservation farming, agroforestry, crop residue management, liming and soil testing.
Dr. Shepande announced that nationwide soil sampling and mapping, supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is progressing well, with Southern Province already completed and work in Central and North-Western Provinces underway.
The Acting Permanent Secretary also spoke to Government’s efforts to strengthen soil analytics capacity, revealing that soil testing kits have been distributed to district staff and that state-of-the-art laboratory equipment has been procured for ZARI with support from the African Development Bank.
To date, 243 extension officers from Lusaka and Central provinces have been trained to enhance precision agriculture across the country. He further encouraged private soil testing laboratories to continue complementing Government efforts. – Ministry of Agriculture – Zambia.
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