World Soil Day 2023: Significance, Theme, History
World Soil Day 2023: The theme of World Soil Day 2023 is ‘Soil and Water, a Source of Life,’which falls on December 5. The crucial relationship between soil and water is emphasized by the UN since these resources provide more than 95% of the food that we eat. Our agricultural systems are built on the foundation of soil water, which is necessary for plants to absorb nutrients.
World Soil Day is significant because it raises awareness of how vital soil is to the survival of life. The goal of World Soil Day is to raise awareness of the importance of soil for ecosystem health, agriculture, and biodiversity. Healthy soil is essential for growing food, purifying water, and slowing down global warming a fact that many people are unaware of.
The emphasis on the value of conserving healthy soil and implementing sustainable soil resource management is the main goal of World Soil Day. It acts as a call to action, bringing attention to the condition of the soil and pressuring governments all over the world to develop policies addressing issues relating to the soil.
A vital component of the fight against climate change is healthy soil. Globally, our topsoil is under danger due to alarming rates of soil degradation brought on by activities like agriculture and deforestation. 52% of agricultural land is already damaged at this point. There could be a danger to life as we know it if this tendency continues.
The base for food production, water purification, drought resistance, flood protection, and the availability of vital minerals is the soil, which is considered the foundation of life. Furthermore, because it absorbs and stores large amounts of carbon, soil plays a critical role in mitigating the effects of climate change. The basic need for survival, the basis of food security, is threatened in the absence of healthy soil.
According to scientific research, there is only enough soil left for 80 to100 more crops, or at most 45–60 years. A major food crisis is predicted to occur within the next 30 years, at a time when the world’s population is expected to surpass 9 billion.
Soil health is one of the many seemingly abundant resources on Earth that is the subject of talks and campaigns during the COP28 climate summit recently. Even though it seems straightforward, soil is essential to life as we know it.
In actuality, soil is a complex symbiotic system made up of organic matter, minerals, gasses, liquids, and living things. It is sometimes thought of as just dirt on the surface of the Earth. From animals to humans, every kind of life is supported by this complex network of interconnected parts. Soil becomes a dynamic and vital part of our ecosystem when it contains organic matter, such as humus and living creatures.
India has always given priority to this issue because it understands how important healthy soil is to preventing climate change. The government has demonstrated its commitment to supporting farmers while managing soil health and resources through initiatives like the introduction of the soil health card and promotion of organic farming.
Sustainable agriculture and organic farming have been vigorously promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is evident that the Indian government is committed to tackling soil-related issues for a sustainable future from its focus on chemical-free soil, maintaining soil moisture, preserving soil organic matter, reducing damage from falling groundwater levels, and managing soil erosion.
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