Soil Management:

1. Soil Degradation  

During the past 50 years various land-use practices have degraded about 5 billion ha (about 43%) of Earth’s vegetated land. This land degradation results in reduced productive potential. The loss of arable land has been caused by a number of factors, many or most of which are tied to human development. The primary causes are deforestation, overexploitation for fuelwood, overgrazing, agricultural activities and industrialization. Overview of the state of soil degradation in the world is shown on the map below, which was created by Philippe Rekacewicz, UNEP/GRID-Arendal and presented in the Atlas of desertification in the world, Second edition, Arnold Publishers, London, 1997.

This website developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations gives access to an interactive soil degradation assessments by country. The assessment is based on the GLASOD survey carried out during the 1980's by UNEP and ISRIC. Data on soil degradation have been linked with population numbers and densities in the mapping units. For each country the extent of each severity class of soil degradation and the associated population numbers in the area mapped are given. 

The major forms of soil degradation can be divided into the following four groups: erosion, physical, chemical, and biological degradation.

Forms of Soil Degradation    Click  on the the text for details & images of each of the terms

Current rates of soil degradation is estimated at 9 million ha per year (about the same size as Ireland).