World Soil Day

Green spaces  provide opportunities for recreation and encourage physical activity, supporting human health and well-being. Healthy soils are the foundation for urban and peri-urban forests, parks, gardens and urban trees. Living in cities surrounded by trees and parks provides recreation, supports well-being and human health. Green spaces are proven to improve mental health by reducing stress, anxiety and depression, and the simple act of spending time around trees can strengthen positive emotions. And because parks and gardens also encourage physical activity for all, when soils thrive and cities green, communities thrive too.

Cities generate about 70% of global waste. Improving how cities manage waste can directly benefit urban soils. When organic materials are safely separated and processed into compost, biochar , or biowaste through black soldier fly , and then applied to perennials or urban farms, they return nutrients back to the soils and support urban farming and healthier urban soils. FAO’s Green Cities Initiative (GCI), which aims to build vibrant, inclusive and resilient places that are good for people and nature. Redesigning cities to be truly sustainable requires reimagining how we manage our spaces, produce our food and use our resources. This transformation can start with one fundamental element: healthy soils.

Endorsed by the UN General Assembly and facilitated by FAO and its Global Soil Partnership , World Soil Day has become a global movement promoting sustainable soil management and raising public awareness across governments, academia, civil society and communities. Urban soils—long overlooked—are increasingly recognized as essential components of sustainable, green cities. They produce food, support green spaces that filter water, buffer floods, cool urban temperatures, store carbon and enhance public health and quality of life. Emerging evidence also shows that contact with biodiverse and healthy soils helps regulate the human immune system. FAO continues to support countries in improving their soil management through flagship initiatives including the Recarbonization of Global Agricultural Soils ( RECSOIL ), the Global Soil Doctors Programme , and the work of FAO’s Technical Networks and Regional Soil Partnerships , which help translate science into practical solutions for farmers, m...