1. Extension Area Specialist/Soil Health
NAEEM KALWAR
Extension Area Specialist/Soil Health

2. EXPERIENCE Master in Soil Science from Pakistan.
Worked as Technical Services Officer for Engro Chemical Pakistan Ltd (previously Exxon Chemical) for about eleven years.
Analyzed, prevented and mitigated soil salinity and sodicity.
Used improved management practices to address soil health and management issues.
Disseminated information through different extension outreach activities.
Collaborated with landowners, industry personnel and other stakeholders.

3. EXPERIENCE Immigrated to Canada in 2006.
Completed another Masters in Land Resource Science, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Hired as an Extension Area Specialist for Soil Health as part of “Soil Health Initiative”, in March 2012.

4. SOIL HEALTH INITIATIVE
Started as a “Soil Salinity/Sodicity Initiative”.
Nearly 5.8 million acres are affected by soil salinity in North Dakota (Brennan, J., and M. Ulmer Salinity in the northern Great Plains. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Bismarck, N.D.).

5. SOIL HEALTH INITIATIVE PROCESS
November-2009: SBARE testimony.
March-2010: Submission of NDSU budget to Governor.
November-2010: Governor’s budget disclosure.
January-2011: Legislature receives the budget.
April-2011: Legislature completes the budget work.
July-2011: New budget start.
November-2011: Start of hiring process.

6. NDSU SOIL HEALTH TEAM Extension (100%): Research (100%):
Dr. Abbey Wick, Fargo.
Chris Augustin, North Central REC.
Naeem Kalwar, Langdon REC.
Research (100%):
Dr. Ann-Marie Fortuna, Fargo.
Dr. Ben Geaumont, Hettinger REC.
Dr. Jasper Teboh, Carrington REC.

7. PROGRAM PLANNING OBJECTIVES
Reach out and build a relationship with landowners, extension and other NDSU staff, SCD, NRCS, FSA and industry.
Explain the nature of the problems:
Differences between soil salinity and sodicity.
Major causes.
Solutions for remediation.
Use of different extension outreach mediums to pass on the message effectively.

8. OUTREACH EFFORTS Print Media: Audio: Video:
Three letter sized, eight page brochures.
Two pocket sized brochures.
Three articles in the local paper.
Audio:
Weekly/biweekly radio messages as “Talking Ag.”
Video:
Ten videos with six specifically on soil health topics (seventh is on the way).
326 views on the “Annual Day Field Day” videos.
1614 views on the “Soil Health videos”.

9. OUTREACH MEDIUMS Workshops/Meetings: Demonstrations/Field Days:
Attended and delivered presentations in 26 crop tours, county meetings and shows.
Visited 15 farms.
Took 74 soil samples.
Directly contacted more than 1100 people.
One workshop on “Soil Health” on December 6th, 2012.
Upcoming workshop on “Groundwater Management” on December 19th, 2013.
Demonstrations/Field Days:
Cover crop demo near Edmore.
Salt-tolerant crops/plants demo near Starkweather.
Field days at Edmore and Starkweather sites.
Soil sodicity remediation demo near Starkweather.

10. http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/langdonrec/soil-health (1040 Google page views)

11. SOIL SALINITY AND SODICITY PART-1