Hi steemians,
This is my fourth entry for this second week of the engagement challenge for season 6. I'm delighted to participate in this wonderful contest organised by this noble community. The topic is quite an interesting one and it is my pleasure to be among those participating.

We all have a common priority and that is saving the soil. Everyone living on this planet earth must care about the soil because it is part of our lives as well. In this contest, we are going to be looking at ways we can use to save the soil. I do hope you will enjoy reading through my blog today. Let's get started.

The soil is one of the most precious gifts given to man by God. It is on the soil that man feeds I.e plants and harvests the crops they use as food, they also get oxygen because of the trees that grow from the soil, and they also build their houses I.e they have shelter from the soil. The soil is indeed a very big part of human life and for that reason, we must sort out ways to save it.

Humans have harmed the soil knowingly and unknowingly through their various activities. Today I'm not going to focus on the harm we have caused to the soil but on how we can all save the soil by doing and also avoiding a few things.

One of the best ways to save the soil is by planting trees. We are aware that the oxygen we get today is a result of the trees around us. They give us oxygen and then make use of the carbon monoxide we breathe out. In the case of the soil, the trees prevent erosion from washing their surface. When the wind blows, instead of sweeping off the surface of the soil, the tree holds it. That is the reason why plating trees will go a long way to save the soil.

Another way we can save the soil is by adopting crop rotation in our farming activities. We are all aware that the soil is where we get our food hence in other to maintain the nutrient of the soil, you need to rotate the crops you plant on the land. Some crops consume nutrients from the soil whereas others give back nutrients to the soil. So by alternating it, you can have your desired yield and the soil will still be much saved.

Cover crops are crops that protect the outer surface of the soil. So this is a very important way we can save the soil. Farmers should always be encouraged to plant more cover crops so that they don't expose the soil to erosion. More cover crops give back nutrients to the soil and make it more productive.

The use of chemicals in our today's world has gone a long way in affecting soil texture. Truly, it has come to reduce the workload because you don't need to spend much time weeding grasses any longer all you need to do is to have it spread on the grasses and the entire grass will die off but this chemical also kills the insect in the soil the helps the soil to regain its nutrient and that is a very big problem to the soil.

Tillage is the process of turning the soil. This also is another way in which the suffers. Regular tillage without allowing the soil to have a little rest will not allow the soil to get back its nutrients. This is the reason why farmers are advised to always do shifting cultivation where they can allow the soil in a given area to rest without disturbing it for a longer period. This soil will regain its nutrient and in that way, we have saved it.

The importance of the soil on this planet earth can never be overemphasised. As I have said earlier, it is on the soil that we get our food, shelter and even the oxygen we breathe since the trees that give this oxygen are planted on the soil. We all need to show our commitment to saving the soil because that is the basics of life. I want finally invite @fjjrg, @afrizalbinalka, @chiabertrand, @pelon53 and @lavanyalakshman.