TEHRAN –Iran has marked World Soil Day (WSD) under the theme of ‘Caring for soils: Measures, Monitor, Manage’.

This year's theme underscores the importance of accurate soil data and information in understanding characteristics and supporting informed decision-making on sustainable soil management for food security.

The WSD was observed today (on Saturday) through holding a conference, with agriculture, and education ministers as well as other officials attending the event.

Addressing the conference, Agriculture Minister Gholam-Reza Nouri-Ghezelcheh, said the rate of soil erosion in Iran is four times the world standard.

The Constitution has underscored the preservation of water and soil resources as everyone’s duty, the official noted.

The soil protection bill was drafted by the cabinet of ministers and then became a law. Currently, the process of reviewing the implementation of the law is underway, Nouri-Ghezelcheh noted.

“In this regard, we are planning to promote the culture of soil protection and implement the law in cooperation with local communities,” the official added.

The WSD is held annually on December 5 as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources.

Our planet’s survival depends on the precious link with soil. Over 95 percent of our food comes from soils. Besides, they supply 15 of the 18 naturally occurring chemical elements essential to plants.

However, in the face of climate change and human activity, our soils are being degraded. Erosion disrupts the natural balance, reducing water infiltration and availability for all forms of life, and decreasing the level of vitamins and nutrients in food.

Sustainable soil management practices, such as minimum tillage, crop rotation, organic matter addition, and cover cropping, improve soil health, reduce erosion and pollution, and enhance water infiltration and storage. These practices also preserve soil biodiversity, improve fertility, and contribute to carbon sequestration, playing a crucial role in the fight against climate change.

The WSD raises awareness about the role of soil management in ensuring soil biodiversity and improving soil health, reducing erosion and pollution, enhancing water filtration and storage, achieving sustainable and resilient agrifood systems, and contributing to carbon sequestration.

World Soil Day was recommended by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in 2002.

Under the leadership of the Kingdom of Thailand and within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership, FAO has supported the formal establishment of WSD as a global awareness-raising platform. 

The FAO Conference unanimously endorsed World Soil Day in June 2013 and requested its official adoption at the 68th UN General Assembly. In December 2013, the UN General Assembly responded by designating 5 December 2014 as the first official World Soil Day.

MT/MG