World Soil Day

Soil salinization refers to excessive levels of salt in the soil, which can inhibit plant growth and even be toxic to life. It can occur naturally, for example in deserts due to lack of water and intense evaporation, or as a consequence of human activity. The  FAO is highlighting the issue in marking World Soil Day on Friday, ahead of the official commemoration on Sunday, December 5th .   Soils at risk “Soil is the foundation of agriculture and the world’s farmers depend on soil to produce about 95 per cent of the food we eat. Yet, our soils are at risk,” said Qu Dongyu, the agency’s Director-General, in advance of the Day, which is organized around the theme of Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity. FAO said unsustainable agricultural practices and the overexploitation of natural resources, as well as a growing global population, are putting increased pressure on soils and causing alarming rates of soil degradation worldwide. More than 833 million hectares of...

  The types of ecosystem services and the  soil functions  referred to in the definition can be elaborated as follows:  • Supporting services include primary production, nutrient cycling and soil formation;  • Provisioning services comprise the supply of food, fibre, fuel, timber and water; raw earth material; surface stability; habitat and genetic resources;  • Regulating services imply the regulation of aspects such as water supply and quality, carbon sequestration, climate regulation, control of floods and erosion; and  • Cultural services denote the aesthetic and cultural benefits derived from soil use.  Sustainable Soil Management  is associated with the following characteristics: 1. Minimal rates of soil erosion by water and wind; 2. The soil structure is not degraded (e.g. soil compaction) and provides a stable physical context for movement of air, water, and heat, as well as root growth; 3. Sufficient surface cover (e.g. from growing ...

  Soils have diverse chemical, physical and biological properties. As a consequence, they differ in their responses to management practices, their inherent ability to deliver ecosystem services, as well as their resilience to disturbance and vulnerability to degradation. The Status of the World’s Soil Resources report identified ten key threats that hamper the achievement of SSM. These threats are: soil erosion by water and wind, soil organic carbon loss, soil nutrient imbalance, soil salinization, soil contamination, acidification, loss of soil biodiversity, soil sealing, soil compaction and waterlogging . These different threats vary in terms of intensity and trend depending on geographical contexts, though they all need to be addressed in order to achieve sustainable soil management. SSM shall contribute to addressing global challenges, and meeting international commitments, including:  • the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , where SSM could directly or indirectly c...

Healthy soils are the foundation for food, fuel, fibre and even medicine, said the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as it kicked off the 2015 International Year of Soils today on the first-ever World Soil Day . Healthy soils are the foundation for food, fuel, fibre and even medicine said the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today as it kicked off 2015 the International Year of Soils on the first-ever World Soil Day. Soils are also essential to our ecosystems, playing a key role in the carbon cycle, storing and filtering water, and improving resilience to floods and droughts, and yet we are not paying enough attention to this important “silent ally,” the UN agency explained. The International Year of Soils kicks off today at events in Rome, New York and Santiago de Chile, in an effort to raise awareness and promote more sustainable use of this critical resource. “Today, we have more than 805 million people facing hunger and malnutrition. P...

  Soils provide one of the largest reservoirs of biodiversity on earth, and soil organisms play key roles in the delivery of many ecosystems services. Little is known about the degree of biodiversity required to maintain core soil functions, but new tools for biochemical techniques and DNA analysis suggest significant progress in this area is possible. • Monitoring programs for soil biodiversity, including biological indicators (e.g. community ecotoxicology) and in-situ early warning signals, should be undertaken; • Soil organic matter levels supporting soil biodiversity should be maintained or enhanced through the provision of sufficient vegetative cover (e.g. cover crops, multiple crops), optimal nutrient additions, addition of diverse organic amendments, minimizing soil disturbance, avoiding salinization, and maintaining or restoring vegetation such as hedgerows and shelterbelts; • The authorization and use of pesticides in agricultural systems should be based on the recommendat...

   Soil Salinity can be a natural phenomenon (reflecting the geological/ lithological/climatic conditions of the area, or proximity to a coastal marine environment), or the result of anthropogenic activities such as the use of salt-rich water for irrigation or the adverse impacts of poorly managed irrigation in dry regions . Halophytic plants, white scabs, an oily appearance or lack of plant growth are all signs of salinity in the field. Salinity can be estimated using electrical conductivity (EC).

  Salinization is the accumulation of water-soluble salts of sodium, magnesium and calcium in the soil . It is the consequence of high evapotranspiration rates, inland sea water intrusion, and human-induced (e.g. improper irrigation) processes. Salinization reduces crop yields and, above certain thresholds, completely eliminates crop production. • Surface cover should be optimized to reduce evaporation losses; • Efficiency of irrigation water use should be increased through improved conveyance, • distribution, and field application methods. Application methods should be used that operate with low pressure and apply the water directly to the soil. Automization of water supply and application of water on top of crops should be avoided to reduce evaporation losses; • Irrigation management should ensure sufficient water for plant growth and efficient drainage to avoid problems of salinization; • Irrigation water quality should be tested and monitored; when feasible, water desalinizati...