World's soils deteriorating while solutions go unused: UN
A new UN report warns that over half of the world's soil is in poor condition, threatening global food security and biodiversity. Experts emphasize that while solutions exist, they are not being implemented at the scale necessary to combat erosion and degradation.
Why it matters
Soil health is fundamental to global food production and climate change mitigation, making its degradation a major long-term threat to human survival.
George Muturi applies vermicompost, an organic fertiliser, on his broccoli patch at his farm in Lari district, Kiambu county on Aug 12, 2026. (Photo: AFP/Tony Karumba)
PARIS: More than half of the world's soils are in poor condition, threatening global food supplies and biodiversity, while proven measures to improve soil health are not being implemented, said a UN report released on Thursday.
"Globally, we must shift from a mindset of soil exploitation to one of soil stewardship," the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned.
Soils "support 95 per cent of our food production, host 59 per cent of global biodiversity, and serve as the planet's second-largest carbon sink after the oceans," said the report's authors.
Yet "soil degradation continues to accelerate at an alarming rate".
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in