It is necessary to take urgent measures to address soil contamination and contain the multiple threats that this poses to safety and global food security, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) highlighted last week in celebration of the World Soil Day, remembered
on December 5th.
Thousands of chemicals - commercially produced on a large scale - plastic and electronic waste or untreated wastewater can become sources of soil contamination, opening up space for contaminating products to enter the food chain, with serious consequences for health and the environment. Population well-being.
It is necessary to take urgent measures to address soil contamination and contain the multiple threats that this poses to safety and global food security, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) highlighted last week in celebration of the World Soil Day, remember on December 5th.
Thousands of chemicals - commercially produced on a large scale - plastic and electronic waste or untreated wastewater can become sources of soil contamination, opening up space for contaminating products to enter the food chain, with serious consequences for health and the environment. Population well-being.
“Around 33% of all soils are degraded and deteriorating at an alarming rate,” warned FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo, at the World Soil Day ceremony, held at the UN body's headquarters in Pomegranate.
“The soil acts as a filter for contaminants. But when their buffering capacity is exceeded, contaminants can reach the environment and the food chain. This undermines food security by making the consumption of these crops a risk,”he said.
“Human activities are the main source of soil contamination. It is in our hands to adapt practices for sustainable soil management”, he added.
At the same time, Semedo called on countries to “significantly increase investment in healthy soils”, stressing that “maintaining healthy soils helps to ensure safe and nutritious food and is essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and Zero Hunger” ”.
Reuse, recycle and reduce
This year, the theme of World Soil Day is “Be the solution to soil contamination”, and FAO provided a series of recommendations on how to reduce soil contamination at the state, industrial and private levels.
For example, growing cities are producing mountains of garbage, which end up in landfills that enter the soil. Of this waste, 80% could be recycled.
As technological progress is accelerated, electronic waste is seen as a new emerging threat to soils. Each year, 50 million tons of electronic waste are generated. FAO recommends donating or recycling old appliances.
While agrochemicals can help satisfy the world's growing food demand, they degrade agro-ecosystems and leave a legacy of soil contamination.
Almost 60% of the best agricultural soils in 11 European countries contain residues from several persistent pesticides. Currently, half of these pesticides are illegal. FAO urges governments to promote responsible and sustainable management of chemicals used in agriculture.
One third of the plastic produced globally ends up in our soils, with plastic particles that enter the food chain and the environment. Stricter environmental policies and regulations are needed to avoid overuse of chemicals by industry.
In addition, everyone can help solve the problem by simply taking a reusable bottle and grocery bag and buying products with reduced or recycled packaging.
Economic impact of soil loss in Malawi: a new study-
FAO presented last week the main results of its first economic assessment of the impact of soil erosion and nutrient loss.
The study was carried out in a pilot project in Malawi - financed by the Poverty and Environment initiative, carried out by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the UN Environment. The study allows for a greater understanding of the economic damage caused by soil loss.
According to the assessment, a 25% increase in soil loss in Malawi would result in a 0.64% reduction in GDP, which is equivalent to about 40 million dollars a year.
"Soil degradation has high economic costs due to the loss of soil health and the reduction of agricultural yields," said Semedo. “Contaminants can remain in the soil for decades, which makes removal extremely expensive. Prevention of soil contamination must be a priority worldwide ”.
World Soil Prize winner:
During a ceremony last week, the 2018 “Glinka” World Soil Prize was awarded to Professor Rattan Lal, President of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) for his outstanding contribution to sustainable soil management.
Lal was included in the list of the most influential scientists in the world in 2012. His scientific work has made a remarkable contribution to the restoration of soil organic carbon and the improvement of its structure and also played an important role in bringing science to politics and decision making. .
The Global Soil Prize "Glinka" - named after the pioneering Russian scientist Konstantin D. Glinka - was created by the World Soil Alliance with support from Russia in 2016 and honors people and organizations whose leadership and activities have contributed to promoting management sustainable soil and the protection of its resources.
This year, Russia approved a financial contribution of $ 2 million to support activities of the World Alliance for Soil in its second phase (2018-2020).
The first World Soil Day Award was also presented to Practical Action Bangladesh for organizing the largest celebration of World Soil Day in 2017.