World Soil Day is observed every year on December 5 to raise awareness about the importance of healthy soil and its promotion of sustainable resource management. It was established by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, and this day recognises soils as a vital component in our ecosystem, which sustains food production, provides climate regulation, and is crucial for maintaining biodiversity.

Discussions on environmental conservation often overlook the importance of soil, the bed on which life on Earth thrives. So, on this World Soil Day, let's look at why soil matters, its challenges, and how we can protect this invaluable resource.

Why Soils Matter

Soil is far more than the dirt under our feet. It's a living, dynamic system that supports life in many ways.

• Soil Security: Soil is an important constituent of agriculture because it provides nutrients for growing crops that feed the world. Healthy soil ensures abundant and nutritious food for a growing population.
• Water Filtration: Soil filtration acts as a natural sponge, cleaning water seepage through its soil layers. It is an important activity for maintaining clean water supplies.
• Carbon Storage: Soil contains more carbon than all the world's plants and atmosphere. Thus, it is an essential element in the fight against climatic change.
• Biodiversity: A teaspoon of healthy soil contains more microorganisms than people on the face of the earth. Microbes are critical for recycling nutrients and plant growth.
• Ecosystem Services: Soil supports ecosystems directly by supporting vegetation or indirectly by contributing to water cycles, thus reducing the impact of floods and droughts.

The Problems of Soil

Despite its importance, soil is still constantly threatened by human activities and natural processes. Some of the major challenges include:

• Soil degradation: Over 33% of the world's soil has already been degraded through overgrazing, deforestation, and urbanisation. This degraded soil can no longer harbour plants or, at least theoretically, trap carbon.
• Erosion: Unsustainable agricultural practices cause erosion. It occurs when the nutrient-rich topsoil is washed away or blown away, leaving the land behind unfertile.
• Pollution: Industrial pollution, pesticide wastes, and the overuse of fertilisers pollute the soil, affecting its fertility and organisms.
• Urbanisation: Expanding cities pave over fertile land, reducing the soil available for agriculture and other uses.
• Climate Change: Rising temperatures and erratic patterns amplify the effects of soil degradation and desertification.

World Soil Day 2024 Theme: "Soils, Where Food Begins"

To this end, this year's theme emphasises the nexus between healthy soil and a healthy food system. Healthy soils form the foundation for developing healthy crops, sustaining productive agriculture, and ensuring food security globally.

This theme reminds us that an action carried out by a farmer, policymaker, or consumer directly impacts the soil and, by implication, the food we eat.

How to Celebrate World Soil Day

World Soil Day is, therefore, a chance for everybody to unite as individuals, communities, and organisations to act. Here is how you can join in:

• Educate yourself and others: Learn about soil health and its environmental impact. Share this information with all friends and family and on social media so that more people know.
• Promote sustainable agriculture: These crop-growing techniques help maintain healthy soil, support crop rotation and agroforestry, promote organic farming, etc.
• Plant trees: Trees prevent soil erosion, enrich the soil with organic matter, and improve water-holding capacity.
• Composting organic wastes: Kitchen and garden waste is composted, reducing landfill wastes while enriching soil with nutrients.
• Partake in local activities: Attend workshops, tree-planting drives or clean-up activities in your locality to contribute towards soil conservation.

What Can You Do Everyday

Small but steady actions make a big difference in the health of soils. Here are some tips:

• Reduce the use of pesticides. Use organic pest control remedies to avoid harming other microorganisms in the soil.
• Do not overwater. Overwatering will promote soil compaction and erosion. Take responsibility for watering plants.
• Covering soil with organic material like straw or leaves protects it from erosion and improves fertility. 
• Even the smallest gardening improves soil health by filling it with organic matter and supporting biodiversity. 

The Future of Soil 

Healthy soil is the foundation for a sustainable future. However, restoring and conserving soil will require a global effort. Governments, organisations, farmers, and individuals must work together to implement solutions that protect this critical resource. Investing in soil health is an investment in the future; it ensures food security, climate change control, and biodiversity for mankind. 

This International Soil Day, let's take a minute to appreciate the ground beneath our feet and the life it sustains. Soil is much more than dirt-it's the foundation for life on Earth. Protection and soil restoration all contribute to a healthier planet and a brighter future for all. The soil needs to be fed so that it feeds us again. Well, a fed soil is a fed humanity.