Why a World Soil Day?
We celebrate World Soil Day (WSD) annually on 5 December to raise global awareness about the role soils play in agricultural development, ecosystem functions and food security.
Endorsed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, WSD became an official international day in 2014 under the leadership of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since then, FAO has facilitated the implementation of WSD as a global platform for action and advocacy within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership (GSP).
Awards and prizes
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Did you know?
- 95% of our food comes from soils.
- 33% of soils are degraded.
- It can take up to 1 000 years to produce just 2-3 cm of soil.
- Soils supply 15 of the 18 naturally occurring chemical elements essential to plants.
- There are more living organisms in a tablespoon of soil than people on Earth.
- 2 billion people worldwide suffer from lack of micronutrients, known as hidden hunger.
- Up to 58% more food could be produced through sustainable soil management.
- Soil is home to nearly 59% of Earth’s species
Publications
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Related links
- FAO Land and Water
- FAO One Health
- FAO Soils Portal
- Global Soil Partnership
- Green Cities Initiative
- UN World Soil Day