World Soil Day

  Despite almost a century of research and extension efforts, soil erosion by water, wind and tillage continues to be the greatest threat to soil health and soil ecosystem services in many regions of the world. Our understanding of the physical processes of erosion and the controls on those processes has been firmly established. Nevertheless, some elements remain controversial. It is often these controversial questions that hamper efforts to implement sound erosion control measures in many areas of the world. Regional and global estimates of soil loss rates due to erosion differ substantially depending on the method used to derive them. Generally, estimates of mean annual soil loss from field plots are substantially higher (8 to almost 50 t ha-1 yr-1) than those from regional and global models (2 to 4 t ha-1 yr-1). Any estimate of erosion must also be placed in the context of the acceptable or tolerable rate of loss. Rates of tolerable soil loss calculated using soil production rat...

  Healthy soils are the basis for healthy habitats for all living beings. They provide food, clean water, raw materials and various ecosystem services. But salinity, acidification and loss of biodiversity are just some of the threats that soils are currently facing. This year’s World Soil Day commemoration focuses on reversing soil erosion for our future. “We are celebrating a treasure beneath our feet which hosts a quarter of the planet’s biodiversity and provides about 95% of our food” , said Eduardo Mansur, FAO ’s Director of the Land and Water Division. Unsustainable agriculture practices and other improper land use changes, such as illegal deforestation, can accelerate erosion up to a thousand times, according to FAO. Soil erosion affects soil health and productivity by removing the highly fertile topsoil and exposing the remaining soil. It decreases agricultural productivity, degrades ecosystem functions and amplifies hydrogeological risk, such as landslides or floods. “Soi...