Greeting to the Launch of the Yearbook from an African Perspective

Abstract

The focus of this paper is to serve as a greeting message for the launch of the International Yearbook of Soil Law and Policy which has the overarching context of sustainable development goals focusing in particular on the goal of a “land degradation neutral world”. The paper focuses to a large extent on Africa, her soils and her people and relating that to the impact of people on the soils with relevance globally. It is hoped that the perspective from Africa will be relevant to the perspectives from other continents, acknowledging the fact that the challenges facing Africa and her soils are similar to those being experienced on the other continents, particularly those with developing countries. The paper concludes with a few recommendations for a shift from business as usual by calling for instance for an African Protocol/Convention on Soil, the involvement of local community and the private sector as necessary pre-conditions amongst others if soils in Africa are to be used as a mechanism to unlock “neutrality”.

Upon this handful of soil our survival depends. Husband it and it will grow our food, our fuel, and our shelter and surround us with beauty. Abuse it and the soil will collapse and die, taking humanity with it

From Vedas Sanskrit Scripture—1500 BC