The African Conference on Soils was held at Goma (Belgian Congo) from 7 to 16 November 1948.
Mr. Show and Mr. Terver of the Division of Forestry and Forest Products represented FAO at this meeting.
Present at the conference were delegations from Portugal (Mozambique and Angola), Southern Rhodesia, the French Union (French West Africa, French Equatorial Africa, the Cameroons, and Madagascar), the United Kingdom and the British colonies (British East Africa, British West Africa, and Northern Rhodesia), the Union of South Africa, Belgium (Belgian Congo and Ruanda Urundi), and many observers.
Organization of the Conference
The conference immediately divided into five sections with the following agenda:
1. General and regional study of soils. (a) Analysis and survey methods; general properties and classification. (b) Properties, regional classification and mapping. (c) Pedogenesis factors; ecology and effect of the vegetative cover. (d) Land use.2. Causes and aims of soils degradation. (a) General aspects and regional situations. (b) Vegetative cover destruction and some causes of degradation.
3. Cultural systems in relation to soil conservation. (a) Anti-erosion techniques. (b) Cultural methods. (c) Fallows and cover crops. (d) Pastoral and agrologic problems. (e) Brush fires in general and in their relations with animal husbandry.
4. Development of agricultural mechanization and manuring. (a) Agricultural mechanization. (b) Manuring.
5. Social and economic problems in relation to soil conservation. (a) Rational organization of agriculture. (b) Population regrouping and deplacing. (c) Forestry problems in relation to native economy. (d) Agricultural propaganda and education. (e) Miscellaneous.
The conference afforded a very valuable medium for the exchange of technical information.
More than 150 specialists were present, most of them highly qualified and having wide experience in the fields of pedology, agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry, and soil conservation and improvement in general.
Forestry
The following points were the principal conclusions of the conference with respect to forestry.
The deterioration of African soils is above all due to bad agricultural practices (uncontrolled roving agriculture) and bad grazing usages (overgrazing, careless spread of free-running fires).
These abuses lead to a rapid disappearance of the vegetative cover, with all its consequences.
If, for social and economic reasons, it is absolutely necessary to make intensive use of the soil, proper regard must be given to land conservation. To put into effect a rational policy of soil use governments must, amongst other things, adopt a clear-cut forest policy, including the reservation of a forest domain of an extent appropriate to the local conditions. Not only protection forests but commercial forests also should be classed as part of the essential vegetation cover.
Improvement of the growing stock in commercial forests, brought under regular methods of management, should be developed through the system of planting trees with native crops. This can be done by setting aside areas for temporary cultivation by villagers, without impairing the status of the forest. The method has been used in British territories over a long period and has yielded excellent results.
At the instance of the chief of the French delegation, the principle of the maintenance of the forest cover proper was extended to apply also to those areas where the high forest borders on the savannah lands, and where the protection of forests, already partially destroyed, is absolutely necessary.
There was unanimous condemnation of the practice of causing bush fires and free-running fires. The ultimate aim should be to suppress them altogether. However, recognizing that these fires are sometimes inevitable owing to the primitive nature of agricultural methods in Africa and especially of animal husbandry, the majority of delegates agreed that the practice must for the time being be tolerated, but it should be strictly controlled. Wherever possible, over limited areas, fire-fighting must be undertaken. Elsewhere, preventative measures such as backfiring should be attempted.
Agriculture
From the agriculture standpoint, the attention of delegates was drawn to the importance of mechanized methods of cultivation, properly conducted to permit both extensive agriculture and proper soil conservation. Delegates had reservations regarding the use of chemical fertilizers and wanted further experiments carried out. However, they strongly endorsed the use of organic fertilizers for restoring certain ingredients to the soil.
The rapid growth of native populations in certain limited regions, and the special problems which arise around large centers of population were also discussed by the Conference. For these regions, delegates requested comprehensive control measures against rapid soil deterioration, and the provision of staff, equipment, and funds to carry them out.
As regards livestock management, attention was particularly drawn to the dangers of overstocking range lands, the result amongst other things of certain native prejudices, which regard flocks and herds as manifestations of real wealth.
Certain Recommendations
Although FAO's delegates were unable to attend the last meetings and the final plenary session, the following is the sub stance of three of the more important recommendations, as drawn up by the drafting committee.
1. An African Information Bureau on Soil Conservation and Use (Bureau inter-africain d'information sur In conservation et l'utilisation du sol) to be established in Paris, where all information bearing on technical, economic, or social aspects of soil conservation could be collected and collated with existing knowledge, and the findings of institutes specializing in this field.The bureau would also establish contact with local organizations and the regional committees referred to below, and provide a focal point for communication between these bodies.
A meeting of experts should be held in the near future to decide the exact organization and function of this bureau.
2. A research center to be established for promoting methods of soil analysis best suited to African conditions, and for determining uniform procedures for the study, classification, recognition and mapping of soils. This center would also be charged with arriving at a generally accepted system of terminology and nomenclature.
This African Soils Service (Service pédologique inter-africain) could be administered by the Institut national pour l'Etude agronomique du Corps belge, and be located at Yangambi. It should be properly equipped to carry out its tasks and be provided with funds adequate to permit its members to travel throughout the African territories, and conduct local enquiries and interchange of experience.
3. To supplement the above, it would be necessary to set up permanent Regional Committees on soil conservation and utilization in the different African regions. These committees should be made up of technical representatives from each territory falling within the area concerned, and they should meet together at least once a year. Their principal task would be to determine how the agreed objectives could best be achieved under existing local conditions and to propose common plans of action.
The division into geographic regions should be decided by a meeting of experts to be called as soon as possible. There should be at least three regions: central, east, and west.
