World Soil Day

Over 80% of the food consumed in cities comes from family farmers who rely on healthy soils in rural areas. Investing in more sustainable agricultural practices and soil health in rural areas helps meet the rising food needs of expanding urban populations, while also protecting farmers’ livelihoods and strengthening global food security.  Healthy urban soils currently supply about 10% of global vegetables, legumes, and tubers for cities. They can help feed urban and peri-urban populations by ensuring that safe, fresh food grown in plots, gardens, or even on rooftop farms, remains available and accessible to urban markets. Urban agriculture remains an important part of urban socio-economic systems and provides new job opportunities for urban residents.   Through integrated land use planning , compact urban growth , and agrifood system integration , we can safeguard soils , secure food and build more sustainable cities. The City Region Food System (CRFS) planning offers one...

Cities are centres of traffic and sources of industrial pollution, waste and wastewater. As a result, urban soils can become easily polluted, posing serious health risks for residents. Actions are needed to identify, manage and restore such polluted urban soils .  Integrating green spaces, tree pits and green corridors can help filter pollutants . Healthy soils in turn enable greater green coverage, which absorbs less heat than concrete and asphalt, lowers surface temperatures, absorbs rainwater and reduces landslides and floods. As we build more roads and buildings, more urban soils are sealed.   Preventing and reversing soil sealing through city greening, on the other hand, can keep cities cool and mitigate extreme weather by sequestering carbon, retaining water and fostering biodiversity.

  World Soil Day  highlights the value of healthy soil and promotes the sustainable management of soil resources. The day urges individuals to consider sustainably managing soil resources and increases public awareness of the significant environmental and economic issues that s oil degradation can lead to.  The World Soil Day was first suggested in 2002 by the  International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS),  and after being officially adopted by the  United Nations General Assembly  in 2013, it took place officially for the first time in 2014. The day looks to address the rising issues with soil management and raise awareness of the value of preserving healthy ecosystems for people, business, and planet.

  This document presents the first major global assessment ever on soils and related issues. Why was such an assessment not carried out before? We have taken soils for granted for a long time. Nevertheless, soils are the foundation of food production and food security, supplying plants with nutrients, water, and support for their roots. Soils function as Earth’s largest water filter and storage tank; they contain more carbon than all above-ground vegetation, hence regulating emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases; and they host a tremendous diversity of organisms of key importance to ecosystem processes. However, we have been witnessing a reversal in attitudes, especially in light of serious concerns expressed by soil practitioners in all regions about the severe threats to this natural resource. In this more auspicious context, when the international community is fully recognizing the need for concerted action , the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS)...

  Soil pH (acidity and alkalinity) gives an important indication of plant nutrient availability, and different crops thrive at different pH values. Soil pHmay change in response to management activities such as liming, fertilizeraddition, irrigation that leads to salt accumulation, and some forms of soil pollution. Soil pH may be measured in the field with simple indicators, or with standard laboratory measurements. It is relatively cheap, quick, and easy to determine. Amending a low (acidic) pH can lead to greatly improved crop yields.

  Soil pollution refers to the presence of contaminant(s) in the soil whose nature, location, or quantity produces undesirable effects in the environment or human health. The laboratory analysis will depend on the results of the preliminary pollution risk assessment (in many cases this is not related to stakeholder management), after which the contaminants of major concern could be identified, and the specific method implemented. The contaminants of major concern considered in this document are trace elements, different types of pesticides, excess nutrients, hydrocarbons, and plastics. For an accurate assessment, it is therefore recommended to compile the necessary information related to the possible pollution risks, such as the proximity to a factory or a mining area, the source of irrigation water; the type and frequency of supplies and equipements used; and the use of agroplastics and its management. In addition, if a soil management practice is known to (potentially) introduc...