Professor John Jiya Musa has revealed that efficient management of natural resources remains central to feeding the world’s growing population. The distinguished Agricultural Engineer made this known recently, while delivering the 115th Inaugural Lecture of the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT Minna). Titled “Soil and Water Conservation Practices: A Tool for Sustainable Food Security,” the lecture emphasised the vital role of soil and water preservation in ensuring long-term agricultural productivity and national food security.
Prof. Musa, a specialist in Soil and Water Engineering, advocated for the widespread adoption of sustainable conservation techniques. He emphasised that improved irrigation efficiency and crop yields begin with understanding water infiltration into soil, a critical component of effective water management.
Citing infiltration models such as Richards’ and Kostiakov’s equations, Prof. Musa explained that cultivated lands consistently recorded higher infiltration rates compared to fallowed areas, attributing the difference to variations in soil structure, groundwater levels, and rainfall patterns. “Sandy loam soils absorbed the most water, followed by loamy sand and clay,” he observed.
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