More than two billion hectares of once productive land is now degraded

More than two billion hectares of once productive land is now degraded

A new approach is needed to combat soil degradation, desertification, and drought if we are to meet the growing demand for food to feed the world’s population, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, QU Dongyu, said.

Qu said agricultural production, food transportation, distribution, and trade were facing new challenges, particularly with the COVID-19 pandemic, and urgent action was needed to stop land and soil damage and decline.

“Business, as usual, is not an option,” Qu said. “We need new approaches for land use to increase productivity while avoiding soil degradation, pollution, and protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.”

As demand increases for food, animal feed, and fibre for paper, energy, clothing, and other uses, Qu noted that the health and productivity of existing arable land is declining, worsened by climate change.

Qu said more than two billion hectares of previously productive land is now degraded and drought and water scarcity have amplified the problem.

Up to 44 percent of the world’s cultivated systems lands are in drylands, and dryland areas are home to 30 percent of the global population, spanning more than 100 countries, he noted.

FAO and its Global Soil Partnership have established RECSOIL: Recarbonization of global soils, an initiative to support farmers, to incentivize sustainable soil management, and enhance soil organic carbon stocks.

Recarbonized soils can be a climate solution as healthy soils are essential to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building resilience to climate change by maintaining or increasing their carbon content.

FAO is also preparing a specific programme on drylands and water scarcity to prevent soil erosion and promote sustainable soil and rangeland management as well as crop diversification.

Qu stressed the necessity of supporting farmers through the provision of innovative tools as well as financial incentives to implement best practices.

Original source: FAO
Published on 17 June 2020