World Soil Day 2022: Where Food Begins
Not too many people have heard of a World Soil Day, and its not their fault. Think about it – how many times do you take a minute to appreciate the earth and the ground beneath your feet? Has it ever come across to you that your future depends on having healthy soil?
All life begins and ends in soil. It is the main source of food. It is also the natural habitat to a wide variety of living things.
The soil is widely underrated and we do not talk about it enough – without it, the world would have no food security in existence. We take soil for granted since we think it will always be around. It is good that we have a special day set to remind all of us about the importance of healthy and sustainable soil management and how we can keep it that way.
History Of World Soil Day
World Soil Day came to conception at the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 20th December 2013 and has since been celebrated annually on the 5th of December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources by tackling soil management issues, raising soil awareness, encouraging societies to enhance soil health, increase understanding of the value of preserving healthy ecosystems and human well-being.
Importance of Soil
It is widely known that soils provide most of our food and are at the center of earth’s life-support system, by supporting all life on our planet. Soil provides essential nutrients to plants (foundation of global food systems), and it is home to a large and diverse community of living things which enhance the soil’s structure.
Good soil also helps reduce climate change by preserving and increasing soil organic carbon.
The consequences of climate change have already established their unforgiving nature and it is imperative that we plan our next cause of action meticulously to avoid further negative impacts on the environment and the planet as a whole.
Soil degradation processes threaten soil nutrition since the soil loses it nutrients as a result. It is a global problem which has been recognized as one of the most critical issues affecting food security and sustainability. Soil degradation can be hardly noticeable since the process takes a long period of time but the results can be catastrophic if not mitigated.
World Soil Day 2022 Theme – Where Food Begins
The theme for World Soil Day 2022 (Where Food Begins) aims to highlight the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by acknowledging and addressing the growing challenges in soil management, raising soil awareness and encouraging societies all over the world to improve soil health.
In a study conducted by the UN’s FAO, 95% of our food comes from soils and 33% of soils are degraded. With the global population rising by the day, and the demand for food continues to increase, agricultural production is expected to increase by 60% to meet the demands in 2050. Proper and sustainable soil management can ensure a 58% increase in food production, leaving only 2% of the needed production amount.
With this information, the work is already cut out for us, and it’s not even that difficult.
How to Observe World Soil Day
Composting
Regardless of your location, you can start small experiments with composting to witness the amazing properties of soil.
Read and Share
Creating awareness means nothing if you do not have a firm grasp on the topic you are creating awareness about. Educate yourself, then educate those around you.
Participate in Community Activities
The only way you can build a lasting healthy relationship with soil is if you be around it regularly. Visit a community garden or park with your loved ones, engage in a community effort to maintain healthy soils such as tree planting, cleaning up and picking up trash, and even something as simple as practicing proper recycling.
For those in Kenya, you can participate in Eco Green Initiative Events to be part of a community built to conserve all aspects of environment. On this particular World Soil Day in 2022 (5th December), Eco Green Initiative in conjuction with Jumuisha Initiative and Times and Life Self-Help Group spearheaded a Tree Planting and Seedball Broadcasting event at Kwa Kamba Hill in Emali to Celebrate the International Volunteers Day, and the World Soil Day.
Eco Green Initiative donated 100 tree seedlings and 5.5 Kgs of Seedballs, while Jumuisha Initiative and Times and Life Self-Help Group provides and oversees the watering of planted seedlings throught their growth, to ensure sustainability.
Jumuisha Initiative and Times and Life Self-Help Group
The Director of Gender and Social Services in Makueni County, Madam Nyalita, Chief Mulwa Emali Loc. Ass. Chiefs Michael and John of Emali and Kwakakulu were in attendance. You too could be a part of this and help make your environment cleaner and greener.
World Soil Day Themes Over the Years
2021 – “Halt Soil Salinization, boost soil productivity” – The aim was to raise awareness about maintaining healthy ecosystems and our well-being by pointing out the dangers of soil salinity.
2020 – “Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity” – Celebrated in 105 countries, 780 events took place around the world.
Pope Francis, in his encyclical letter, Laudato Si’, stressed the importance of soil – “Soil, water, mountains: everything is, as it were, a caress of God. For human beings to contaminate the earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life – these are sins.”
