“NSW Government. Office of Environment & Heritage. Soil degradation, a serious environmental problem, is the decline in soil condition caused by its improper use or poor management, usually for agricultural, industrial or urban purposes.”
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Note from author: When speaking about soil degradation, we refer to a number of different factors affecting the quality of soils by making them become less healthy e.g. through losing nutrients. The reasons for soil degradation vary, including physical, biological and chemical factors, deforestation, misuse of fertilizers, industrial and mining activities, improper cultivation practices, urbanization, and overgrazing. (EF. Conserve Energy Future).
According to the FAO and the UN, it takes 1.000 years to create three centimeters of top soil. If the current development continues at this rate, we have only 60 years left of agriculture. (Scientific American). Alone in India, as an example, soil degradation has become an overall serious problem, endangering the whole agricultural sector. (Sustainability 2015 – Soil Degradation in India: Challenges and Potential Solutions).
Needless to say, if we do not take urgent action(s) around the world to solve environmental problems, including how we treat our air, land and water sources, we will not have much time left on this planet.
Learn more about soil degradation by watching e.g. this video published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations:
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Anne-Maria Yritys 