The dirt beneath our feet is getting poorer and on many farms worldwide, there is less and less of it. Without sufficient soil, our ability to grow food is threatened. (From BBC).
Soil is the earth’s fragile skin that anchors all life on Earth. It is comprised of countless species that create a dynamic and complex ecosystem and is among the most precious resources to humans. (WWF)
Generating three centimeters of top soil takes 1,000 years, and if current rates of degradation continue all of the world’s top soil could be gone within 60 years, a senior UN official said. (Article from Scientific American).
While water erosion continues to be the most serious cause of soil degradation globally, innovative strategies that remediate important soil functions can restore the productivity of eroded soils. (Nature.com)
Soil degradation is the decline in soil condition caused by its improper use or poor management, usually for agricultural, industrial or urban purposes.