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In Bangladesh, most soils contain less than 1.5 percent organic matter. This is below the minimum required threshold of 2.5 percent. Photo: CBFM-Fem Com Bangladesh, 2006 Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)CBFM-Fem Com Bangladesh, 2006 Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Land degradation and food crisis hit Bangladesh

Poor farming practices and dependence on fertilizer have damaged soils in Bangladesh. Nutrient deficiency remains a problem. Use of organic alternatives for soil grows
Invertebrates, play key functions in soil balance. Photo: s shepherd Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) s shepherd Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Missing invertebrates: the UK has already lost a third of its earthworms

The biodiversity crisis is also affecting invertebrates. In the United Kingdom, says a study by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the abundance of earthworms in the soil declined by 33 to 41 percent. Poor agricultural practices are a crucial determinant
Antibiotic use on livestock farms is a source of contamination and soil hazard. Photo: U.S Department of Agriculture Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) U.S Department of Agriculture Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Chinese scientists provide first global map of antibiotic resistance in soil

Researchers from Shanghai University described the global distribution of antibiotic-resistant genes in the soil. The phenomenon is especially evident in Europe, America and Asia. And is a threat to animal and human health
Asia contains many of the most fertile soils on the planet. PHOTO: Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

Asia has its first ‘soil atlas’

It was created by the FAO Global Soil Partnership together with the Joint Research Center of the EU Commission. The tool will help to better understand the characteristics of the different soils of the continent. Among them, some of the most fertile on the planet. The food future of humanity depends on their sustainable management
In Ukraine the agricultural sector is an important source of livelihood for about 13 million people. Photo: Ilya Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)photo: Ilya Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

War affects one in four farmers in Ukraine, says FAO

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has forced 25 percent of the country's rural households to reduce or stop production. War damage to the sector already exceeds $2 billion, says FAO
Pandemic outbreak in 2020 has not slowed deforestation globally. Photo: Astro_Alex ESA/A.Gerst, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGOAstro_Alex ESA/A.Gerst, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

Global lockdowns during Covid-19 outbreak did not curb deforestation

Alliance of Biodiversity study: deforestation in 2020 followed expected trends based on historical data. A sign of how closures have not affected the phenomenon
A fungus, called Metarhizium robertsii, is reportedly able to remove mercury around plant roots. Photo: Chengshu Wang and Yuxian Xia Attribution 2.5 Generic (CC BY 2.5)Chengshu Wang and Yuxian Xia Attribution 2.5 Generic (CC BY 2.5)

Mercury pollution is not a problem (as long as we use this fungus)

A fungus that can break down mercury-based organic forms into less toxic inorganic substances protects plants by allowing them to survive in contaminated soils, a Sino-American study has found
MRIDA, or soil in Hindi, is an application developed to estimate carbon sequestration potential. Photo: AS Rao, ICRISAT Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0)AS Rao, ICRISAT Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0)

A new soil app from India can teach you climate-smart agriculture

Helping farmers and decision makers in developing climate-smart practices in soil management. That's the goal of MRIDA, the new app created in India to assess the carbon sequestration potential of different agricultural strategies
Sustainable agriculture made a crucial contribution to the development of the Maya society. Photo: Diego Delso Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)Diego Delso Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Sustainable agriculture was crucial for ancient Maya’s society

Proper soil and agricultural management enabled the growth of settlements originating in southern Mexico in ancient times, environmental DNA study by U.S. researchers has found
In China, soil pollution comes largely from non-ferrous metal mining and plant dumping operations Photo: High Contrast Attribution 2.0 Germany (CC BY 2.0 DE)High Contrast Attribution 2.0 Germany (CC BY 2.0 DE)

China launches a new initiative against soil pollution

Starting next year, a new law to combat soil pollution will be in effect in the Chinese capital. The measure follows the directions of recent national legislation. But there is an unpromising precedent

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It’s beneath our feet but we never think about its value. We tread on it, we mistreat it, but a healthy, fertile soil means life. It’s time to take care of the soil and each one of us can and must make a difference.

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