Message from the Minister of Housing and the Environment on World Day to Combat Desertification 2010

Every year on 17 June, we celebrate the World Day to Combat Desertification. It is a day that serves to strengthen the global effort to face the challenges of desertification and land degradation in all the regions of the world. It is also a day to reflect upon the impacts of this environment challenge - the gradual loss of fertility of lands – and consequently on the lives, well being and development of people.

This year’s observance of the World Day to Combat Desertification is being celebrated under the theme "Enhancing soils anywhere enhances life everywhere" and highlights the inter linkages between healthy soils, healthy ecosystems and the well being of mankind. The biodiversity of the soils has its own unique function within the ecosystem. They are the primary driving agents of nutrient cycling, regulating the dynamics of soil organic matter, soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emission. Soil biodiversity also helps to modify the soil’s physical structure and water regimes, enhancing the amount and efficiency of nutrient acquisition by the vegetation, and of plant health. Healthy forest ecosystems which result from healthy soils encourage a rich flora and fauna biodiversity and serve critical functions of water capture through its watersheds, wind breaks whilst providing a myriad of habitats.

Current global consumption and production patterns need to become more sustainable to ensure the well being of our soils’ ecosystems. Further unsustainable production patterns may lead to consequences that may include further global food crises, continued desertification, land degradation and periods of drought. As usual, the poorer in society will be the first victims of these unsustainable production patterns, and the last to recover.

This year, the Ministry of Housing and the Environment is commemorating World Day to Combat Desertification 2010 nationally, as a component of the Government’s Clean Up and Beautify Programme (C&B – T&T); in that Beautifying the environment is more than for aesthetic purposes, but also to return the environment to its natural green state, thereby improving biodiversity, including the biodiversity of the soils.

On this World Day to Combat Desertification, let us recognize the value of our soils’ biodiversity and the risks of letting desertification and land degradation advance unchecked.

Dr. the Honourable Roodal Moonilal, MP