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The day will be observed by holding different programs such as art competitions, photography, 100-second short films, drawing and painting, essays (for children aged 13-17), and handicrafts.

WSD is held annually as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.

This year WSD is celebrated under the theme of “Soil and Water, a source of life”.

WSD 2023 and its campaign aim to raise awareness of the importance and relationship between soil and water in achieving sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.

It is a unique global platform that not only celebrates soils but also empowers and engages citizens around the world to improve soil health.

In fact, protecting the 2 precious and vital reserves of the nations, namely “water and soil” and avoiding wasting them are among the most important tasks in protecting the environment.

Among the key messages of this day is that soil and water are essential resources for sustaining life on Earth. Soil and water are interconnected resources that need integrated management.

Implementing sustainable soil management practices enhances water availability for agriculture.

Healthy soils, enriched with organic matter, play a crucial role in regulating water retention and availability.

Efficient use of quality water, promoting the sustainable use of fertilizers and pesticides, employing appropriate irrigation methods, improving drainage systems, controlling pumping, and monitoring soil and groundwater salinity levels are essential to maintaining sustainable agricultural practices.

Improper soil and water management practices affect soil erosion, soil biodiversity, soil fertility, water quality, and quantity, while soil and water protection help climate change adaptation and lowers its effects.

Water scarcity leads to the loss of soil biodiversity while leaching and eutrophication from agriculture practices lead to the loss of biodiversity in water bodies.

The mismanagement of pesticides and fertilizers not only threatens soil and water quality but also poses significant risks to human health and ecosystems.

Poor irrigation and drainage practices are some of the main drivers of soil salinization.

Rising sea levels contribute to land loss, increasing the risk of soil salinization and sodification, which can negatively impact agricultural productivity.

Soil and water provide the foundation for food production ecosystem services and human well-being; by recognizing their invaluable role, we can take proactive measures to protect these resources for future generations.

Rainfed agriculture systems account for 80 percent of croplands, contributing to 60 percent of global food production. These systems rely heavily on effective soil moisture management practices.

Soil ecosystem services include providing food, fiber, fuel, supporting cultural heritage, construction materials, medicinal and genetic supplies, habitat for living organisms, nutrient cycle, flood regulation, climate regulation, carbon sequestration and water purification, and soil pollutants reduction.

Healthy soils act as a carbon sink, by sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, thus contributing to both climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.

By 2050, the world’s population will reach more than 9 billion which is 2 billion more than the current population of the world. In this case, food production needs to be increased by 60 percent to respond to the population’s nutrient demands.

Integrated soil and water conservation will improve the land’s capacity to withstand extreme climate events such as drought, floods, and dust and sand storms.

Integrated soil and water management methods provide essential ecosystem services, support life on earth, and increase ecosystem resilience.

Sustainable soil management practices, such as minimum tillage, crop rotation, organic matter addition, and cover cropping, improve soil health, reduce erosion and pollution, and enhance water infiltration and storage.

These practices also preserve soil biodiversity, improve fertility, and contribute to carbon sequestration, playing a crucial role in the fight against climate change.

Protecting and restoring dust centers, mulching combined with planting, using environmentally friendly polymer mulch, dredging, organizing and directing water to dust centers, irrigating, managing runoff along with planting seeds in dust zones, repairing and supplying equipment for existing sand and dust stations are among the taken measures by DOE in tackling sand and dust storms.

World Soil Day

Our planet’s survival depends on the precious link between soil and water.

However, in the face of climate change and human activity, 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.

Hence, an international day to celebrate soil was recommended by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in 2002.

Under the leadership of the Kingdom of Thailand and within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership, FAO has supported the formal establishment of WSD as a global awareness raising platform.

The FAO Conference unanimously endorsed World Soil Day in June 2013 and requested its official adoption at the 68th UN General Assembly.

In December 2013, the UN General Assembly responded by designating 5 December 2014 as the first official World Soil Day.

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A total of 220 standards have been set regarding soil, 89 standards regarding fertilizers, 18 standards regarding composts, 322 standards regarding pesticides, 19 standards regarding growth improvers, and 3 standards regarding toxic substances, Ladan Razi, an official with the Department of Environment said on Saturday.

According to the Soil Protection Law, the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research, the Department of Environment, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Agriculture were obliged to carry out the standardization jointly, he explained.

Soil quality in Iran needs special attention, especially fertile soils in the field of agriculture and natural resources, which must be protected against any destruction and pollution, Razi stressed.

“Therefore, in order not to have problems with food security in the future, we must protect the soil seriously, she said, adding, If we protect the soil from pollution and destruction such as erosion and salinity, we can maintain our food security and have a healthy society.”

Loss of 2 billion tons annually

According to the statistics, Iran loses 2 billion tons of soil annually, according to the 2018 report of the United Nations Development Program, the total amount of global soil erosion is 24 billion tons, so one-twelfth of all global soil erosion occurs in Iran.

This is while, Iran has about one percent of the world’s land area, which means that its erosion rate is eight times higher than the global average, so Iran is suffering from severe degradation and soil erosion.

In Iran, due to the severe erosion, it takes an estimated 800 years to produce a centimeter of soil, so the attention of the people and the government should be on average twice the global average.

Each ton of soil is valued at $28 in terms of metal ores, so the loss of two billion tons of soil annually means an annual loss of $56 billion, which is more than revenues from the sale of oil and agricultural products, gardens, livestock, poultry, and fisheries.

Over 25% of biodiversity

This natural resource hosts over 25 percent of biodiversity and about 90 percent of living organisms spend part of their life cycle in the soil; it also plays an important role in supporting animal biodiversity above ground, including wildlife and domesticated livestock.

The most widely recognized function of the soil is its support for food production. It is estimated that 95% of our food is directly or indirectly produced on the soil. Healthy soil supplies the essential nutrients, water, and oxygen that our food-producing plants need to grow and flourish.

Soil is also crucial for ensuring the continued growth and maintenance of natural and managed vegetation, including diverse forests and grasslands and the huge breadth of species and varieties that are cultivated or managed for their food, feed, fuel, fiber, and medicinal products.

Agriculture minister Javad Sadati-Nejad said in December 2022 that special importance will be placed on the soil and watershed sector in the seventh National Development Plan (2022-2026).

The official noted that there are good laws in the country regarding soil protection, saying: “Protecting soil is the duty of all institutions and people, so over the last 10 years, FAO has come to the conclusion that people’s capacities are the most valuable factor in soil protection.”

“Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization is responsible for the protection of soil and prevention of erosion, and in the seventh National Development Plan, we will dedicate an important chapter to the protection and preservation of the soil,” Sadati-Nejad added.

Soil protection is a public duty and it is necessary to teach future generations about the value of soil and the protection and preservation of this intergenerational heritage, he stressed.

MG

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