World Soil Day - Celebrate the importance of soil as a critical component

 World Soil Day - 5 December :

Why is World Soil Day celebrated ?

World Soil Day aims to raise awareness about the importance of soil and its sustainable use for life and livelihood.

What is healthy soil ? 

Soil is a blend of minerals, liquids, organic substances, gas and living organisms. Soil is everywhere, from the depths of oceans to the tops of mountains. It covers more than four-fifths of earth's surface and supports most plant lives. It is an essential part of earth's ecology, providing food, clean water, and oxygen. For all these reasons, it's critical to take care of soil! 

 

Healthy soil is one that can provide nutrients for plants, regulate water flow on earth, and store carbon dioxide in its pores. A characteristic of healthy soil is a balanced pH (a measure of acidity or alkalinity) that fosters biodiversity in the microbial world. However, most soils around the world are showing signs of damage or depletion currently, which means they do not provide enough nutrients for plants to grow or microbes to thrive at their optimal potential.World Soil Day (WSD) is held annually on 5 December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.

Why do we need to take care of our soil ?

• Nature takes time to form soil: In mild weather, a centimetre of soil takes around 300 years or more to develop; the time taken is much longer in dry weather. Scientists and technologists have not yet been able to artificially and sustainably produce a soil equivalent. So, any loss of soil health or soil erosion is nearly irreversible, at least for centuries.  

• Topsoil is depleting: Due to industrialisation, mechanised mono-crop farming, most of the planet's topsoil is in bad condition. Nearly half of all soil has been degraded in some way, and about two-thirds of agricultural land is losing topsoil at an alarming rate. It means fewer nutrients for plants to grow with, which can lead to lower crop yields over time. 

• Soil health affects our fight against hunger: Healthy soils can help regulate water flow on earth, store carbon dioxide in their pores, and provide nutrients for plants. Which is why, it is directly and indirectly linked to food security. But with most soils around the world showing signs of damage or depletion, it is becoming challenging to maintain agricultural productivity sustainably. 

• Deteriorating soil health is disturbing biodiversity worldwide: Soil condition affects the food chain in any locality through microbial growth and natural vegetation. Any change in soil health has a cascading effect across the food chain.  

What can we do to help restore and maintain soil ? 

We need more people to start recycling food waste into compost piles, planting trees on top of degraded land, and creating agricultural strategies that work with nature instead of against it. Without these changes, our planet will continue to suffer from a lack of healthy soil, contamination of freshwater, and extreme food insecurities. 

 

Here are some easy ways you can get involved with World Soil Day and help others celebrate the same. 

 

• Reduce your carbon footprint by reducing the amount of petroleum products usage and consumption of highly processed foods. 

• Plant trees that are native to your region on lands with degraded soil. 

• Support communities, non-profits, and activists working to educate ordinary people about the importance of soil. 

• Organise a compost pile with families, friends and neighbours or start a community garden. 

• Recycle food waste into compost piles instead of sending it to a landfill to release methane gas into the atmosphere and create more global warming problems.

• Interact, comment, discuss, and share stories about World Soil Day on social media.

 

Changing industrial and agricultural practises that disturb soil health is not easy, especially in the light of modern urban lifestyles. But it's time to take steps towards reversing soil damage. Let us know your ideas on how to celebrate World Soil Day. 

According to the FAO, the world’s topsoil could be completely eroded within the next 60 years if current soil degradation rates continue. And in 2017, U.N. officials called for stronger management of the planet’s soils as a critical natural resource that could “make or break” climate change response efforts.