FOREWORD FROM THE CHAIRPERSON

Dear readers and well-wishers, it is with profound gratitude and pleasure that I take this great opportunity to write the foreword to the first ever website for the Soil Science Society of East Africa. The gratitude is premised on the appreciation of the efforts of the forerunners who have dedicated their efforts to the struggle to ensure that the Society survives through thick and thin as well as the challenges at hand. For the last 30 years since its inauguration, the Society has faced and coped with many challenges to survive. Currently, we are in the ICT age and the Society has no choice but to come on board. Now that we are on board, we envisage this to be a great opportunity to get rapid feedback from you on areas of weakness. We are cognizant that the task ahead is enormous but we expect even greater fruitation through your good counsel as our esteemed readers from various walks of life. We are at your service and pledge to honor our commitment to you. We value your sacrifice of time to write us constructive comments. God bless.

DR. MARY-RWAKAIKARA-SILVER, SSSEA CHAIPERSON

The Soil Science Society of East Africa (SSSEA) was conceived by the East African Specialists committee for Soil Fertility and Crop nutrition administered by the East African Agriculture and Forest Research Organization (EAAFRO) of the East Africa Community.

The Society was inaugurated in 1974 with the aim of promoting the study, research, teaching and application of Soil Science and related subjects in East Africa for improved Soil Productivity. Annual meetings are held on a rotational basis across the East Africa countries, namely; Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. Proceedings of the meetings are compiled for reference. Membership is open to scientists, farmers, extension agents, policy makers, students. There is also institutional membership and associate membership for nationals outside the East African community. The Society is funded on goodwill basis by members, governments, donors, philanthropic organizations and other institutions.

ANNUAL MEETINGS OF THE SSSEA

Annual meetings of the Society were identified as one of the vehicles to achieve the society objectives. They are organized on a rotational basis between Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. During the meetings, members can present papers and discuss matters of professional interest. Over the years the society has been confronted with several challenges and has been responding accordingly. One major Challenge has been land degradation. It has been wide spreading with increasing magnitude in spite of the contented research and extension efforts to avert it this undermining the fight against food insecurity.

Attainment of food security in sub-saharan Africa still remains daunting task because of the varied and often incongruent perceptions of the pathways to its attainment. Historically, the norm has been for research to address the problem of food insecurity
using the science-led development paradigm. In this paradigm, research efforts were concentrated in isolation on the basis of disciplines (e.g. soil scientist, crop scientist, agricultural engineer, agricultural economist) in directions to eliminate the perceived constraints along the pathway to food security, with a hope of meeting other disciplines.

E-mail:
mailto: swcsu@infocom.co.ug