Dr. Parveen Kumar
The history of this day dates back to 2002 when the International Union of Soil Sciences adopted a resolution proposing that December 05 be celebrated as the World Soil Day to recognize the importance of Soil as a critical component of the natural system and as a vital contribution to human well being. As a consequence to the resolution of the IUSS, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in June 2013 at its 68th General Assembly unanimously declared Dec 5 to be celebrated as World Soil Day every year. The date of 5 December was chosen because it corresponds with the official birthday of the late H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand, who was one of the main proponents of this initiative.
Soil is not a dead thing as perceived by most of us, it is a living entity constituting a critical component of the natural system and is an important contributor to the human wealth through its contribution to food, water and energy security and as a mitigator to biodiversity loss and climate change. As a living resource, it is home to more than 25% of our planet’s biodiversity. It is estimated that only 1% of soil microorganism species are currently known compared to 80% of plant species. Up to 90% of living organisms live or spend part of their lifecycle in soils. Soil organisms can break down certain contaminants. Soil is the foundation of every terrestrial (land-based) food chain on Earth. As soil is the ultimate natural supplier of the food we eat, we cannot survive without it. Healthy soil plays a crucial role as a natural filter, purifying and storing water as it infiltrates into the ground.
However, in the face of climate change and various anthropogenic activities, our soils are being degraded, putting excessive pressure on our water resources. Erosion disrupts the natural balance, reducing water infiltration and availability for all forms of life. The loss of soil nutrients is a significant cause of soil degradation and a major international problem for food security and sustainability. It also results in high cost-of-production, low income and loss of biodiversity etc. As food security is a major concern, India has to overcome the challenge of low productivity due to soil degradation. The loss of nutrients from soil happens due to more than one reason. Soil erosion refers to removal of the top layer of soil by various means which include both anthropogenic as well as natural events. The natural agents responsible for soil erosion include wind, water and waves. Among these agents, water is considered as the main cause of soil erosion. Soil Erosion results in loss of fertility of top soil, nutrients content decline as they are washed away by erosion, underground water level also gets reduced, vegetation and habitat loss, frequent occurrence of drought and floods and many other adverse effects.
Soil salinization is a major process of land degradation that decreases soil fertility and is a significant component of desertification processes in the world’s dry land. The accumulation of soluble salts in soil occurs when evaporation exceeds precipitation and salts are not leached but remain in the upper soil layers in low-lying areas. Natural soil salinization, referred to as ‘primary salinization,’ occurs in arid and semi-arid climatic zones. ‘Secondary salinization’ is the term used to describe soil salinized as a consequence of direct human activities. It is estimated that by 2050, around 50% of the soil will be affected due to salinity without any fruitful mitigation techniques to overcome the situation. Besides reducing net cultivable area, soil salinization hits hard the productivity and quality of agricultural produce, quality of water, the choice of cultivable crops, the biodiversity and ultimately the livelihood security of the people. For all important crops, average yields in salt stressed environments are only a fraction, somewhere between 20 and 50% of record yields Estimates suggest global economic losses due to soil salinization around US $ 27.3 billion per year Growing trend in the salt-affected soils in India is also becoming a threat to national food security and economic development. Arid and semi-arid regions, where evaporation rates are high and fresh waters are scanty to flush out the excess salts from soil, favor the formation of such soils. Similarly water logging occurs when there is no proper drainage system in the fields. They become waterlogged and this result in the saturation of crops wherein the normal circulation of air is not possible and the amount of oxygen in the soil declines. Shifting cultivation is a type of cultivation practiced mainly in North-Eastern states of India is actually a type of slash and burn method of cultivation wherein the forest land is cleared for cultivation of crops. This causes deforestation, environmental pollution, loss of habitat for wild animals etc. The burning of forest also results in soil erosion and gradual degradation of soil.
It is estimated that to feed the burgeoning population, the country would require about 311 million tons of food grains (cereals and pulses) by 2030 and this requirement would further increase to 350 million tons by 2050 when India’s population would be around 1.8 billion. The amount of land is limited and thus ensuring food security for all will definitely be a challenge. The food security has to be attained despite shrinking and fragmentation of lands, climatic adversities, land degradation and many other related factors. Restoration of degraded lands therefore provides an opportunity to cater to the food grains requirements of the ever increasing population. In the country, nearly 147 million ha of land is subjected to soil degradation including 94 million ha from water erosion, 23 million ha from salinity/alkalinity/acidification, 14 million ha from water-logging/flooding, 9 million ha from wind erosion and 7 million ha from a combination of factors due to different forces. The Government of India has also fixed a target of restoring 26 million ha of degraded lands, including salt-affected soils, by the year 2030 to ensure food security for the people. Estimates suggest that every year nearly 10% additional area is getting salinized and by 2050, around 50% of the arable land would be salt-affected. Situation is alarming and we have to act urgently to ensure that things do not go to a point of no return.
THEME OF WSD 2025: This World Soil Day 2025 focuses on urban landscapes with the theme ‘Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities.’ Beneath asphalt, buildings, and streets lies soil that, if permeable and vegetated, helps absorb rainwater, regulate temperature, store carbon, provide essential ecosystem services, sustain biodiversity and improve air quality. But when it’s sealed with cement, it loses these functions, making cities more vulnerable to flooding, overheating and pollution. According to the latest report of National System for Environmental Protection (SNPA) entitled ‘Soil Consumption, Territorial Dynamics and Ecosystem Services’ in 2024 nearly 84 square kilometers were covered by new artificial surfaces, a 16% increase compared to the previous year. With more than 78 km² of net soil consumption, this is the highest value of the last decade. In contrast, just over 5 km² were returned to nature, leaving the situation unbalanced: every hour, an area of soil of about 10,000 square meters is lost, as if one tile after another were being removed from the mosaic of the landscape.
Dec. 02, 2025 therefore calls upon all to act and think about urban spaces through their soils and making it sure that men can peacefully coexist with nature in greener, healthier and resilient cities.
(The author writes on agriculture and social issues)