SOIL DEGRADATION: A PIVOTAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN

Management

Saving the environment for today and for tomorrow is the biggest ethical responsibility of the current human race. We have caused extreme damage to the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. We have been selfishly exploiting our resources and degrading them for future use. Overpopulation, pollution, deforestation, desertification, excessive industrialization, and above all, unsustainable agricultural practices are causing global warming & extreme climate changes and posing a big threat to food security and safety. Ninety five percent of the food we eat comes from the soil (FAO). A report by the UN in 2019 stated, “The current food system is fueling the destruction of Earth’s forests — and humanity must overhaul how we grow and ship food to stop climate breakdown.” By 2050, the population of Earth will be nearly 10 billion, but the countries of the world are unable to sustain the pressure of producing enough food and maintaining sustainable agriculture at the same time. A quarter of the world’s soils are degraded; a degraded patch of land is not only infertile, but it also releases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere, adding to GHGs. Studies all over the world warn that due to unsustainable agricultural practices the world is losing 24 billion tons of fertile soil every year. At this pace, by 2050, 95% of earth’s soils will be degraded. Hence, contemporary times are the most critical to conserve soil— for our present and our future!

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