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...

  Roles and functions of the soil.

Soils are fundamental to life on Earth but human pressures on soil resourcesare reaching critical limits . Further loss of productive soils will amplify food-price volatility and potentially send millions of people into poverty. This loss is avoidable. Careful soil management can increase the food supply, and provides a valuable lever for climate regulation and a pathway for safeguarding ecosystem services. Achieving sustainable management of soil resources will generate large benefits for all communities and nations. In some parts of the world it will be a key to economic prosperity and in others it will even be important for their national security in the short to medium-term. Whatever the context, effective policy based on sound evidence is essential for a good outcome.  The consideration of soil in policy formulation has been weak in most parts of the world. Reasons include the following:  • lack of ready access to the evidence needed for policy action  • the chall...

  The goal of the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS) in this first Status of the World’s Soil Resources report is to make clear the essential connections between human well-being and the soil.  The report provides a benchmark against which our collective progress to conserve this essential resource can be measured. The report synthesizes the work of some 200 soil scientists from 60 countries. It provides a global perspective on the current state of the soil, its role in providing ecosystem services, and the threats to its continued contribution to these services. The specific threats considered in the report are soil erosion, compaction, acidification, contamination, sealing, salinization, waterlogging, nutrient imbalance (e.g. both nutrient deficiency and nutrient excess), and losses of soil organic carbon (SOC) and of biodiversity. While there is cause for optimism in some regions, the overwhelming conclusion from the report is that the majority of the world’...

  Healthy soils are a basic prerequisite to meeting varied needs for food, biomass (energy), fiber, fodder, and other products, and to ensuring the provision of essential ecosystem services in all regions of the world. However, humankind is facing unprecedented pressures on soil resources. In particular, soil degradation of various types including sealing due to fast urbanization are taking their heavy toll, threatening food security and ecological balance. With the Sustainable Development Goals currently under consideration and soon to be implemented, it is fundamental to ensure sustainable management of soils in order to make these goals a reality. Fortunately, there is recognition of the need to act more forcefully at all levels, nationally, regionally and internationally in order to reverse alarming trends and to maintain the healthy soils required for feeding growing populations . Most symbolically, the General Assembly of the United Nations has formally endorsed the celebrati...