At the beginning of 1972, Mona Khashba was the first
female student to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Soil
Sciences from the Department of Soil and Water Sciences,
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tripoli. Then, the
number of females choosing to study soil and water sciences
increased, reaching 423 in 2019 [Authors collection].
In 1996, Eman Ali Ferjani (Fig. 2.9a) was the first female
student to graduate with a master’s degree in Soil Microbiology from the Department of Soil and Water Sciences,
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tripoli. Meanwhile,
Jamila Suleiman Elarabi (Fig. 2.9b) was the first female
student to graduate with a master’s degree in Soil Pedology
in 2003. [Authors collection].
So far, the number of females who have graduated from
the Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Faculty of
Agriculture, University of Tripoli, with a master's degree in
different fields of soil and water sciences, is about 40, and
only 8 of them are in Soil pedagogy. [Authors collection].
The reason for the small number of female students
(compared to males) enrolled in the Department of Soil and
Water Sciences is primarily due to social reasons. What will
students do after graduation? Of course, female as well as
male graduates with a degree in soil sciences will work in
the field and this is not desirable for Libyan families. Lately,
after the development of Libyan society, and the nature of
work in soil and water sciences had changed (laboratories,
offices, Remote Sensing, GIS, etc.), the number of female
students enrolled in the Department of Soil and Water Sciences has been noticeably increased. However, there is no
significant increase in the number of female students in the
Soil Pedology major, as students in this area are still required
to do their work fundamentally in the fields.
2.2.4 Development of State Institutions
Working in the Field of Soil and Land
Mapping
In the early 1950s, the Ministry of Agriculture established a
Soil and Water Conservation Authority. The main aims of
this Authority are fixation of sand dunes, afforestation, and
establishment of industrial forests, as well as the implementation of some methods of water harvesting and distribution of surface water in the Northern mountain areas
(western Mountain and Al Jabel Al Akhdar).
In the 1960s, the Department of Soil and Water Conservation at the Ministry of Agriculture was formed on the ruins
of the Soil Department. This department began work in the
field of soil and land classification mapping. In this period of
time, soil studies have not received much attention except
for two studies [Authors collection].
At the beginning of the 1970s, agricultural development
work in all regions of Libya began to accelerate with the
establishment of the Council for Agricultural Development.
Meanwhile, the soil department of the Ministry of Agriculture lacked specialists in the field of soil science, so the
Council was contracted with international companies to
carry out soil and water studies for different agricultural
development areas in Libya. At the same time, foreign soil
engineers were recruited in the department who carried out
some soil studies and mapping in various other areas (will be
discussed later).
In 1977, the Ministry of Dams and Water Resources was
launched, and in 1980, a General Directorate of Soil department at the Ministry of Agriculture was created as an alternative to the soil department of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Fig. 2.9 a Dr. Eman Ali Ferjani, b Mrs. Jamila Suleiman Elarabi
Fig. 2.8 a Prof. KhairyAl Saghir, b Prof. Gilani Abdelgawad, and c Prof. Khaled Ben Mahmoud
2 The History of Soil Mapping and Research
19
female student to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Soil
Sciences from the Department of Soil and Water Sciences,
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tripoli. Then, the
number of females choosing to study soil and water sciences
increased, reaching 423 in 2019 [Authors collection].
In 1996, Eman Ali Ferjani (Fig. 2.9a) was the first female
student to graduate with a master’s degree in Soil Microbiology from the Department of Soil and Water Sciences,
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tripoli. Meanwhile,
Jamila Suleiman Elarabi (Fig. 2.9b) was the first female
student to graduate with a master’s degree in Soil Pedology
in 2003. [Authors collection].
So far, the number of females who have graduated from
the Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Faculty of
Agriculture, University of Tripoli, with a master's degree in
different fields of soil and water sciences, is about 40, and
only 8 of them are in Soil pedagogy. [Authors collection].
The reason for the small number of female students
(compared to males) enrolled in the Department of Soil and
Water Sciences is primarily due to social reasons. What will
students do after graduation? Of course, female as well as
male graduates with a degree in soil sciences will work in
the field and this is not desirable for Libyan families. Lately,
after the development of Libyan society, and the nature of
work in soil and water sciences had changed (laboratories,
offices, Remote Sensing, GIS, etc.), the number of female
students enrolled in the Department of Soil and Water Sciences has been noticeably increased. However, there is no
significant increase in the number of female students in the
Soil Pedology major, as students in this area are still required
to do their work fundamentally in the fields.
2.2.4 Development of State Institutions
Working in the Field of Soil and Land
Mapping
In the early 1950s, the Ministry of Agriculture established a
Soil and Water Conservation Authority. The main aims of
this Authority are fixation of sand dunes, afforestation, and
establishment of industrial forests, as well as the implementation of some methods of water harvesting and distribution of surface water in the Northern mountain areas
(western Mountain and Al Jabel Al Akhdar).
In the 1960s, the Department of Soil and Water Conservation at the Ministry of Agriculture was formed on the ruins
of the Soil Department. This department began work in the
field of soil and land classification mapping. In this period of
time, soil studies have not received much attention except
for two studies [Authors collection].
At the beginning of the 1970s, agricultural development
work in all regions of Libya began to accelerate with the
establishment of the Council for Agricultural Development.
Meanwhile, the soil department of the Ministry of Agriculture lacked specialists in the field of soil science, so the
Council was contracted with international companies to
carry out soil and water studies for different agricultural
development areas in Libya. At the same time, foreign soil
engineers were recruited in the department who carried out
some soil studies and mapping in various other areas (will be
discussed later).
In 1977, the Ministry of Dams and Water Resources was
launched, and in 1980, a General Directorate of Soil department at the Ministry of Agriculture was created as an alternative to the soil department of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Fig. 2.9 a Dr. Eman Ali Ferjani, b Mrs. Jamila Suleiman Elarabi
Fig. 2.8 a Prof. KhairyAl Saghir, b Prof. Gilani Abdelgawad, and c Prof. Khaled Ben Mahmoud
2 The History of Soil Mapping and Research
19