Focus on Environment

<strong>Focus</strong> Environ (2016)
A Brief Overview of Soils Role in Sustainability
Pulses [plant species from family: Fabaceae
(this family is also known as Leguminosae)]
are known to fix the nitrogen from atmosphere
and that helps in improvement of soils fertility,
structure and microbial biodiversity (Wahbi el
al., 2016; Luo el al., 2016; UN, 2016). This
article highlights the various issues associated
with soils degradation, loss and conservation
as well as the role of heathy soils in sustainable
development for people and planet in context
with the sustainable development goals (SDGs)
adopted by the UN.
SOILS AS SOLID GROUND FOR LIFE
The nutrients derived from our daily diet are
essential for our body’s growth, development,
repairs, and to lead an active, healthy life. In
fact, soil is the basis for the production of all
types of food in agriculture and aquaculture
industry. Therefore, sustainable agricultural
productivity is very important in order to feed
the global population. The UN estimates suggest
that rapid economic growth and increased
agricultural productivity in last 20 years
helped to make huge progress globally in
eradicating extreme hunger; but, extreme
hunger as well as malnutrition remains a huge
challenge (UNDP, 2016) in several countries
in general, and in developing and least developed
countries in particular. The UN estimates
also clearly indicates that about 795 million
people are chronically undernourished because
of poor agricultural productivity mainly due to
a direct consequence of environmental degradation,
drought and loss of biodiversity
(UNDP, 2016; Hunter el al., 2016).
PLEDGE FOR FOOD SECURITY IN
SDGs
For the international community, one of the
challenge is ─ how we can make sure that all
people on the planet will have enough food in a
sustainable manner? The UN are determined to
Bhore
end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by
2030 and it is clearly reflected in the seventeen-SDGs
(Table 1) ambitiously adopted by
the international community (SDGs, 2016).
The total agricultural production including
milk, meat and fishes from aquaculture is
completely relied on soil health; hence, conservation
of soil is of prime importance to
accomplish SDG 1 (end poverty in all its forms
everywhere) and SDG 2 (end hunger, achieve
food security and improved nutrition and
promote sustainable agriculture). Directly or
indirectly, the efficacy of sustainable soil
management will complement the efforts of
accomplishing other SDGs (Table 1).
WHAT DEGRADES OR DESTRUCTS
SOILS?
Deforestation, extensive usage of synthetic
fertilizers, mining, soil erosion, and rapidly
growing urbanization are some of the major
causes responsible for soil degradation and or
destruction.
Through our daily diet, we are taking
carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, fats, vitamins
and trace elements to nourish our body.
All food items that we eat are linked with soils.
For instance, in agriculture, crop plants take
their nutrients from the soil, while fishes or
other aquatic animal we eat are dependent on
phytoplanktons, zooplankton, seaweed, and or
nutrients from specially designed fish food
formulation (Alemzadeh et al., 2014; Gharajehdaghipour
et al., 2016; Bentzon‐Tilia et al.,
2016; Hehre and Meeuwig, 2016). Directly or
indirectly, all the nutrients required for humans
are originated from soil (Figure 1).
Hence, sustainable soil management is of
prime importance for a sustainable global food
supply as well as for global food security.
Destruction of soils by deforestation
About 13 Million hectares of forest are cleared
ISBN: 978-967-14475-0-5; eISBN: 978-967-14475-1-2 108