Minimize soil erosion.

 

The SWSR report identified soil erosion by water and wind as the most significant threat to global soils and the ecosystem services they provide. Soil erosion causes the loss of surface soil layers containing organic and mineral nutrient pools, partial or complete loss of soil horizons and possible exposure of growth-limiting subsoil, as well as off-site impacts such as damage to private and public infrastructure, reduced water quality and sedimentation. Soil erosion is accelerated by human activities through, amongst others, reduced plant or residue cover, tillage and other field operations, and reduced soil stability leading to soil creep and landslides. • Land-use changes such as deforestation or improper grassland-to-cropland conversion that cause removal of surface cover and loss of soil carbon should be avoided or carefully planned and appropriately implemented if unavoidable; • A cover of growing plants or other organic and non-organic residues that protects the soil surface from erosion should be maintained through implementation of appropriate measures such as mulching, minimum tillage, no-till by direct seeding with attention to reduced herbicide use, cover crops, agro-ecological approaches, controlled vehicle traffic, continuous plant cover and crop rotation, strip cropping, agroforestry, shelter belts, and appropriate stocking rates and grazing intensities; • Erosion by water on sloping and relatively steep lands should be minimized by measures that reduce runoff rates and velocity such as strip cropping, contour planting, crop rotation, intercropping, agroforestry, cross slope barriers (e.g. grass strips, contour bunds and stone lines), terrace construction and maintenance, and grassed waterways or vegetated buffer strips; • Where appropriate, riparian buffers, buffer strips, wetlands, water harvesting and cover crops should be used/installed to minimize export of soil particles and associated nutrients and contaminants from the soil system and protect the downstream areas from damaging impacts; and Erosion by wind, including dust storms, should be minimized and mitigated through vegetative (trees and shrubs) or artificial (stone walls) wind breaks to reduce wind velocity.