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We cannot imagine our lives without water and air.
These are the two things which we use in our lives directly, but is it the same with the soil? How little we know that these two vital elements of our lives also need soil to function well.
Soil performs a critical function of altering air quality by supporting plant growth, which, in turn, produces oxygen in the atmosphere. Plants through photosynthesis absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and help store or sequester carbon in the soil. This process of carbon sequestration from soil is known as soil carbon sequestration.
Many studies show that soil has a higher capacity of carbon sequestration than forests. Carbon sequestration helps to reduce the greenhouse effects, which will help to fight against climate change activities, the major burning issue globally.
Similarly, soil also helps in the filtration of water. Clean water is not only needed for drinking purposes but also for agricultural purposes, and in different industries as well.
When rainwater is absorbed by the ground cover and as it infiltrates its way to the ground water table, the water is purified.
Half of the world's land is used for agriculture, and Nepal being an agricultural country, 66 per cent of the people are directly engaged in it. The continuous and regular use of land has degraded the top soil fertility.
Mono-cropping practices on the same land for a long period of time results in the loss of fertility and degradation. It decreases the nutrients of the soil, reduces organic matter and causes significant erosion. Soil is the foundation of agriculture, but now it seems it is destroying the soil. So it is high time people began thinking about its protection, too.
Agricultural practices such as terrace farming, no-till farming, contour farming and crop rotation should be put into practice, while unplanned housing should be done away with without any delay. Conservation of the soil through proper and sustainable management is a must in reducing food insecurity.
It also helps in water and air purification, reducing land degradation and eventually contributing in the long fight against climate change, resulting in the sustainability of lives.
Techniques like Digital Soil Mapping should be introduced to make proper utilisation of land according to the soil found there. Likewise, research on different aspects of the soil, its importance and sustainable management should be carried out, and the results obtained should be put into practice.
I hope it is clear now that the soil is not just staying idle doing nothing. If we don't act soon, it might go away forever. Also you know, since our existence depends on the soil, we refer to it as "earth".
A version of this article appears in the print on February 9, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
