WOLRD SOIL DAY,2025

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Picture Courtesy: The Hindu

Context:

World Soil Day, observed annually on 5 December, aims to raise global awareness about soil health, sustainable management practices, and its critical role in supporting life and food systems.

 What is Soil?

Soil refers to the natural body covering the Earth’s surface that develops through the breakdown of rocks and the action of living organisms. It forms over time through interactions between parent rock, climatic forces, landscape features, and biological processes.

Components of Soil

Soil consists of four interacting parts — the mineral fraction derived from rock, organic matter, air and water — and their proportions vary across soil layers, influencing how the soil functions.

 Factors Influencing Soil Formation:

Parent Material

The soil originates from underlying rock or transported deposits such as alluvium, windblown sediments or glacial debris. Parent material affects soil properties like colour, mineral composition, permeability and texture.

Climate

Temperature, rainfall and solar radiation shape weathering rates, organic decomposition and moisture balance. Warm, wet conditions accelerate soil development, while dry or cold areas slow biological and chemical processes.

Biological Activity

Plants, animals, microorganisms and humans influence soil evolution:

• Vegetation contributes organic matter and modifies nutrient cycles,
• Soil fauna such as earthworms, termites and insects improves mixing and aeration,
• Microorganisms break down organic matter and release nutrients,
• Human activities like cultivation, mining and irrigation alter structure and chemistry.

Relief (Topography)

Slope, elevation and aspect affect erosion, drainage and microclimates. Steeper slopes lose soil faster, while low-lying areas may accumulate deposits or retain excess moisture.

Time

Soil formation is gradual; characteristics emerge as parent material, climate, biological forces and relief interact over extended periods.

 World Soil Day, 2025:

World Soil Day, observed on 5 December each year, serves as a reminder of how soil underpins almost every ecological and economic system, supporting food production, sustaining human and animal life, regulating climate processes, and anchoring biodiversity and water cycles.

Theme of 2025: Healthy soils for healthy cities

 Background:

The day honours the legacy of H.L. King, founder of the FAO, whose contributions highlighted soil’s centrality in agriculture and development. Its recognition by the UN General Assembly in 2014 formalised a global commitment to enhancing soil awareness, advocacy and stewardship.

Significance

With 95% of food derived from soil-dependent agriculture and one-third of soil resources already degraded, the observance draws attention to how soils are losing fertility, structure and resilience. It emphasises that soil is not inert dust but a living, dynamic ecosystem, demanding protection, restoration and policy action.

 Current Status of Soil in India:

• Nearly 29% of India’s landmass (about 96 million hectares) is degraded, with loss of fertility, erosion, salinity, and declining organic carbon levels. (Source: The Hindu)
• Areas affected by water erosion alone exceed 68 million hectares, particularly in rainfed regions.
• Plastic residues, heavy metals, pesticide build-up and industrial effluents are emerging contaminants, threatening productivity and food safety.
• Soil organic carbon (SOC) the foundation of soil fertility, has fallen below global averages, with many croplands registering less than 0.5%.

 What are the challenges in Soil conservation in India?

• Rapid topsoil loss outpacing restoration: Water-induced erosion affects ~68 million hectares (ICAR), especially in rainfed regions such as Bundelkhand, Vidarbha and parts of Rajasthan. Natural soil formation takes 100–400 years to build 1 cm of topsoil, but erosion strips it within seasons, evidenced in Chambal ravines expanding despite decades of reclamation efforts.

• Declining soil organic carbon (SOC): Indian soils average 3–0.5% SOC, far below the global optimal threshold of 1–1.5% for healthy soils. Punjab’s intensive paddy–wheat system shows “yield stagnation” despite high fertiliser use due to organic matter decline.

• Nutrient imbalance from chemical-centric farming: Over-reliance on urea has led to N-heavy, P and micronutrient-deficient soils—40% of soils show zinc deficiency, 35% sulphur deficiency (ICAR). The Green Revolution belt shows reduced soil response rates — fertiliser usage rose but productivity did not increase proportionately.

• Weak governance and fragmented soil data: Soil monitoring remains episodic; 19 lakh Soil Health Cards triggered awareness but not behavioural change due to slow advisory updates.

• Unscientific water management: Canal irrigation without drainage has caused secondary salinity, visible in Haryana’s waterlogged tracts where white salt crusts destroyed thousands of hectares.

 What are the global and government of India initiatives for soil conservation?

Global initiatives:

FAO’s Global Soil Partnership (2012): An UN-led platform coordinating policy, capacity building and knowledge sharing among 180+ countries.

It runs Global Soil Week, technical networks, and publishes the Status of World Soil Resources Report (2015) highlighting that 33% of soils are degraded worldwide.

 World Soil Day (UNGA Recognition, 2014): Annual global advocacy (5 December) to promote awareness, soil literacy and policy dialogue.

Themes like “Stop Soil Erosion” and “Keep soil alive, Protect soil biodiversity” drive targeted campaigns, farmer outreach and national initiatives.

 UN convention to combat desertification (UNCCD): The only legally binding global agreement addressing land degradation and soil health.

Its Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets aim to restore degraded land by 2030 — over 130 countries, including India, have pledged targets.

 Indian initiatives:

Soil Health Card Scheme (2015): Provides farmers with soil nutrient status and fertiliser recommendations; over 22 crore cards issued, improving nutrient management and reducing imbalanced fertilisation.

National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA): Promotes soil health enhancement, rainfed farming resilience, composting, organic inputs, and agroforestry under Mission components like Soil Health Management.

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY): Micro-irrigation and watershed development measures help reduce soil erosion, enhance moisture retention and decrease salinity.

Integrated Watershed Management Programme / Watershed Development Component: Focuses on soil and water conservation in rainfed and hilly regions, improving infiltration, vegetation cover and productivity—successful models seen in Tigray (India analogue) and Sukhomajri, Haryana.

National Project on Organic Farming & Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY): Pushes organic and cluster-based farming, reducing chemical burden and boosting soil microbial health.

Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY): Funds state-led soil health interventions, land reclamation projects, and infrastructure like custom hiring centres for conservation activities.

 Conclusion:

World Soil Day reminds us that soil is a finite, living asset underpinning food, water, climate and biodiversity security. As degradation accelerates, the observance reinforces the urgency for restoration, responsible land use and farmer-centred stewardship, making soil health central to sustainable development agendas.

 Source: The Hindu