Resolution on Soil Science Development in Africa.

CM/Res.878 (XXXVII)

RESOLUTION ON THE SOIL SCIENCE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA

The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity meeting in its Thirty- seventh Ordinary Session in Nairobi, Kenya from 15 to 26 June 1981,

Recalling Resolution CM/569 (XXIX) of the Twenty-ninth Ordinary Session in Libreville (June 1977), on the Scientific, Technological Research and Development Activities of the Executive Secretariat of OAU in Lagos,

Noting with satisfaction the report of the Secretary-General on the First OAU Inter- African Soil Congress held in Accra, November 1980, Document CM/1146 (XXXVII):

1. RECOMMENDS to OAU Member States, without National Soil Science Research Institutes to establish such institutes for various disciplines in soil survey, classification, evaluation, soil fertility and use of fertilizers, soil conservation and water management;

2. RECOMMENDS FURTHER to OAU Member States to strengthen existing national soil institutions and to expand facilities to train more soil scientists and the technicians in high level and middle level in universities, agriculture training colleges or schools and research institutes;

3. INVITES Member States to produce individual National Soil Maps on the scale 1:1 million using FAO/UNESCO legend as recommended by the Congress for the harmonization and standardization of the systems in Africa. These national maps are to be combined by the Inter-African Soil Bureau (BIS) with the assistance of FAO, UNESCO, UNDP and ECA;

4. REQUESTS the Secretary-General of OAU to organize in co-operation with FAO and UNDP and other international organizations, training courses on soil science on sub-regional basis, and to establish the soil museum for Africa and facilitate the collection of monolithe of different major soils;