Declining soil health: Five reasons and solutions

Every year, billions of tonnes of topsoil are lost due to overgrazing, deforestation, pollution, and other human activities. Experts warn this is a critical issue, as soil plays a vital role in food production, carbon storage, and biodiversity. A recent study published in Nature journal reveals that nearly 60% of all species rely on the soil as their habitat.

Here are five major causes of soil degradation and the potential solutions:

1. Drought

Over a third of the global population lives in regions facing water scarcity. Degraded land loses its ability to retain water, worsening vegetation loss and creating a cycle of drought and erosion. Climate change intensifies this issue, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, leading to food insecurity and famine.

Solution: Water management techniques like drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, and ecosystem restoration can help improve soil moisture and reduce the impacts of drought.

2. Land Degradation

Human activity has altered over 70% of Earth’s land, severely impacting ecosystems like forests, peatlands, and grasslands. This reduces soil fertility, crop yields, and food security. Extreme weather events, deforestation, and overgrazing further damage soil by compacting it and depleting nutrients.

Solution: Adding compost, and organic materials, and using mulching can restore soil health. Conservation agriculture and improved irrigation techniques are also effective in preventing further degradation.

3. Industrial Farming

Modern farming practices, while productive, take a heavy toll on soil health. Excessive use of heavy machinery, monocropping, and chemical inputs degrade soil, pollute water, and harm biodiversity. Industrial farming is also a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for about 22% globally.

Solution: Sustainable methods such as no-till farming, crop diversification, and integrating trees into farmland can improve soil structure and fertility. Initiatives like Africa’s "forest garden" model, which incorporates trees and shrubs into agriculture, are showing promising results in enhancing soil health and smallholder yields.

4. Chemicals and Pollution

Soil pollution from industrial processes, mining, poor waste management, and excessive chemical use damages plant, animal, and human health. Fertilizers disrupt soil nutrient balance, pesticides harm beneficial organisms, and heavy metals accumulate, impairing soil’s natural processes.

Solution: Reducing chemical inputs, promoting organic farming, and adopting sustainable waste management can restore soil vitality and support biodiversity.

5. Diet and Nutrition

Global dietary habits, such as reliance on staple crops like wheat, rice, and corn, encourage monoculture farming, which depletes soil nutrients and organic matter. Similarly, diets rich in animal products like beef lead to overgrazing, compaction, and erosion.

Solution: Shifting toward plant-based diets and diverse cropping systems can reduce the strain on soil. Aligning agricultural practices with sustainable dietary choices is key to enhancing soil health and ensuring long-term food security.