Chinese University seeks to partner with African research bodies to improve soil fertility
In a bid to improve soil fertility in Africa, China’s leading University, Tsinghua University, is seeking to collaborate with African research institutes to find sustainable solutions to soil contamination.
Some of the main types of soil contaminants include heavy metals such as mercury and organic pollutants and these cause many risks such as danger to human health, food safety and ecological receptors.
Hou Deyi, associate professor at Tsinghua University said that the institution had already developed green and sustainable technologies to improve soil health that would be useful in the African continent.
“We are seeking to partner with African research institutes so that we can play a role in reducing the impact of soil pollution in the continent,” said Hou during the fourth session of the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi.
Deyi added that the best way to prevent soil pollution was by firstly preventing contamination; this could be done by use of bioremediation techniques in order to clean toxins in the soil.
