Why Soil Matters
In 2015, the FAO celebrated the International Year of Soils to create awareness to the importance of soil conservation to fulfill our basic needs. These are the key messages from FAO’s campaign:
- Healthy soils are the basis for healthy food production.
- Soils are the foundation for vegetation which is cultivated or managed for feed, fibre, fuel and medicinal products.
- Soils support our planet's biodiversity and they host a quarter of the total.
- Soils help to combat and adapt to climate change by playing a key role in the carbon cycle.
- Soils store and filter water, improving our resilience to floods and droughts.
Soil is a non-renewable resource; its preservation is essential for food security and our sustainable future.
Soil functions: Soils deliver ecosystem services that enable life on Earth. Source: http://www.fao.org/resources/infographics