Soil is more than dirt. I’s a living, breathing ecosystem essential for food production, water filtration, carbon storage, and biodiversity. Soil degradation occurs when the soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties are damaged, reducing its capacity to function. It’s one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, threatening global food security and ecosystem health.
Soil degradation refers to the decline in soil quality caused by natural processes and human activities. It can be physical (loss of structure), chemical (nutrient depletion, salinization), or biological (loss of organic matter and biodiversity).
Erosion — removal of topsoil by water or wind
Chemical degradation — nutrient depletion, acidification, salinity buildup
Physical degradation — compaction, crusting, reduced infiltration
Biological degradation — loss of soil biodiversity and organic carbon
Rainfall and surface runoff wash away nutrient-rich topsoil, reducing fertility.
Common in arid regions, wind erosion removes fine soil particles and organic matter.
Overuse of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides can disrupt soil pH and kill beneficial microbes.
Heavy machinery and over-irrigation cause soil compaction and reduce aeration.
Monocropping and poor land management diminish microbial diversity and organic matter content.
Over-cultivation, excessive tillage, and reliance on chemical inputs degrade soil over time.
Removing vegetation exposes soil to erosion and nutrient loss.
Excess livestock pressure damages vegetation cover and compacts soil.
Heavy metals, waste, and land sealing degrade soil quality and reduce agricultural land.
Loss of topsoil and nutrients forces higher fertilizer use, raising costs.
Degraded soils support fewer plant and microbial species.
Compacted, eroded soils hold less water, making crops more vulnerable to drought.
Lower yields and higher input costs reduce farm profitability.
Degraded soils release stored carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.
Climate change intensifies drought and erosion, further accelerating soil loss.
Adding organic matter such as compost, manure, and crop residues restores soil structure, boosts water retention, and increases nutrient cycling. However, not all organic nitrogen behaves the same way in soil. Traditional amendments rely heavily on microbial decomposition to release plant-available nitrogen, which can lead to competition between soil microbes and crops.
A promising approach is the use of non-microbial organic nitrogen sources — such as free amino acids (arginine, glycine, glutamine) or other readily available organic nitrogen compounds. These molecules can be directly absorbed by plant roots, bypassing microbial competition. This ensures that plants get nitrogen quickly, especially under stress conditions like drought, while still supporting a healthy soil microbial community.
By combining microbial-based organic matter (compost, manure) with non-microbial organic nitrogen (amino acids), farmers can build resilient soils that both feed the crop directly and foster long-term soil health.
Practices like minimal tillage, cover cropping, and crop rotation protect soil structure and fertility.
Trees stabilize soil, increase organic matter, and enhance biodiversity.
Rotational grazing prevents overgrazing and allows vegetation recovery.
Governments can incentivize soil-friendly farming practices and penalize destructive land use.
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification aims for zero net land degradation by 2030.
A collaborative effort to improve soil governance and promote sustainable soil management.
What is the main cause of soil degradation worldwide?
Erosion from water and wind.
Can degraded soil be restored?
Yes, with long-term management including organic matter restoration and erosion control.
How does soil degradation affect food security?
It reduces yields and makes crops more vulnerable to drought.
Does climate change cause soil degradation?
Yes, by intensifying extreme weather and altering soil moisture.
Is soil degradation reversible everywhere?
In severely degraded areas, full restoration may be impossible, but partial recovery is possible.
Soil degradation is a silent crisis that undermines food production, biodiversity, and climate stability. By adopting sustainable land management, restoring degraded areas, and supporting global initiatives, we can protect this vital resource for future generations.
FAO. (2015). Status of the World’s Soil Resources. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. https://www.fao.org
Lal, R. (2015). Restoring soil quality to mitigate soil degradation. Sustainability, 7(5), 5875–5895. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7055875
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). (2017). Global Land Outlook. https://www.unccd.int
Montanarella, L., Pennock, D. J., McKenzie, N., et al. (2016). World’s soils are under threat. Soil, 2(1), 79–82. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-79-2016