SENEGALESE conservationist Baba Dioum at a meeting of the International Union for Conservation of Nature in New Delhi in 1968 said: ‘In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught.’ If we accept the statement to be true, World Soil Day is of paramount importance in conserving soil, a non-renewable resource, by creating global awareness.
December 5 has been observed as World Soil Day since 2014 after an official approval by the UN General Assembly in 2013. The birthday of Thai king Bhumibol Adulyadej was chosen for the observance of the day. The day this year is, however, unique because of the message it conveys — ‘Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor, Manage’ — which emphasises three fundamental approaches to a sustainable use of this irreplaceable resource.
Photosynthesis, the single most important life-sustaining process on the planet which converts and stores solar energy in an edible chemical form, would be impossible without the direct and indirect contribution of soil. Plants depend on soil not only for water to sustain photosynthesis and other physiological processes but also for oxygen to breathe, nutrients for nourishment and mechanical support to prevent them from falling over. In short, soil supports flora, which capture energy and nutrients, feed us and provide us with oxygen.
Furthermore, it decomposes toxic substances by its microbial battalion which would, otherwise, accumulate in various spheres of the ecosystem and make it dysfunctional. Most of the readymade groundwater that we drink is purified as it travels through the soil profile towards the aquifer through various processes. Considering the vital contribution, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the initiation of human civilisation would have been impossible without the formation of soil.
The formation of soil in nature is another epic process, as a 2–3cm depth of soil takes almost 1,000 years to form. This explains why it is both an irreplaceable and, at the same time, a non-renewable natural resource. The soil we see is not merely dust or mud. It is the earth’s skin, a complex mixture of chemical substances formed through intricate interactions among rocks and minerals, climate, vegetation and topography over an extended period on a geological timescale. Perhaps, the history of soil is compelling enough to evoke a philosophical sense of why we should care for it.
However, ecological economists estimate that the market price of ecosystem services, ie, goods and services provided by an ecosystem, is tens of trillions of dollars annually, with soil accounting for a lion’s share of the services. One of the services provided by soil that requires additional attention is its role as the third-largest reservoir of carbon. It stores 2.5 trillion tonnes, or 3.4 per cent, of global carbon, following the global ocean and fossil fuels, making it a potential carbon sink and an important determinant of the global carbon market. The phenomena, therefore, strongly validate and provide for both a scientific and economic basis for the utmost necessity of measuring, monitoring and managing soil.
Soil is a living biological entity, containing 90-100 million microbes in a single gram. Like other biological entities, soil has a health status, which is determined by its physical, chemical and biological conditions. The diagnosis of soil health defines soil quality, which refers to its ability to function within an ecosystem. World Soil Day this year emphasizes the importance of measuring soil health as it provides insights into the current soil condition. This information helps decision-makers to determine whether the soil is suitable for a particular use or requires treatment, which is a fundamental principle of sustainable soil.
Is it, however, possible to evaluate the soil health of such a vast agricultural area? It is possible. This is precisely where Baba Dioum’s words become relevant: if we love the soil, we will conserve it. Establishing community- based soil clinics countrywide makes it possible for peripheral farmers to evaluate their soil health and receive proper consultation on how to cultivate and manage the soil. It ensures the sustainable use of this resource, on one hand, and maximum productivity, on the other hand.
Soil, as a dynamic and complex natural body, changes in response to the continuously evolving environment around it. Soil scientists classify soil properties into different categories based on their rate of change. Among them, ephemeral characteristics — eg, level of acidity, nutrient status, water level, etc — change over very short periods and require accurate monitoring as they significantly influence critical management practices like fertilisation and irrigation. In addition to soil clinics, farmers should be trained to use simple portable instruments to measure key ephemeral soil properties and make immediate decisions, enabling the economical use of soil additives and promoting the sustainable management of this valuable resource.
Soil researchers from academia and state-owned institutions should monitor and record the properties of the two other categories, ie, intermediate and permanent, to track long-term behavioural changes and informed decision-making. However, caring for the soil through monitoring will largely depend on the implementation of proper monitoring strategies.
Another key focus of the day is soil management. In simple terms, soil management refers to the practices and techniques used to maintain or improve soil health. A wide range of soil management approaches is available, such as fertilisation, water management, salinity control, acidity management and others, each designed to address specific soil properties. For proper management practices, information on the existing soil condition is essential and this can only be obtained through regular measurement and monitoring of the soil.
In this era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the use of artificial intelligence, including robotics, artificial intelligence-powered sensors, artificial intelligence-based satellite imagery is essential in soil management practices, especially in Bangladesh, where we need to balance a high crop productivity with limited agricultural land while protecting soil health.
Reports suggest that Bangladesh’s invaluable soil resources are facing a range of challenges, from already degraded soils (problem soils) to ongoing fertility loss, soil urbanisation and pollution. Consequently, we are confronted with a set of difficulties: first, the urgent need to reclaim degraded soils; second, the prevention of unscientific agricultural land use for urbanisation; and finally, the enhancement of soil productivity to feed nearly 250 million people by 2050 while maintaining soil health. To address these challenges, the only viable solution is to manage the soil through precise measurement, continuous monitoring and proper management.
In conclusion, the significance of the day this year lies in fostering global awareness of the importance of caring for soil resources. In Bangladesh, if we manage this resource properly, it will ensure food security and economic stability, preserve the resource for future generations and position Bangladesh as a potential stakeholder in the emerging global carbon market, especially if reclaimed degraded soils are used for carbon sequestration. Thus, we should conserve the soil, not merely out of necessity but as a collective responsibility.
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Sazzadul Islam writes on the environment.