World Soil Day (05/12)

World Soil Day is celebrated annually on December 5th to remind the global community of the importance of soil resources and the role they play in preserving ecosystems and increasing human well-being.

The history of this day dates back to 2002, when the International Union of Soil Sciences adopted a corresponding resolution. Scientists then drew attention to the need to understand the importance of the planet's soil resources at the international level.

Their task was to reassess the understanding, both by ordinary citizens and by the authorities of all countries of the world, of the role played by soil resources in the life of man and the state, as well as in the ecosystem of the planet. Only awareness of the importance of preserving the soil resources of the planet can radically change the policy of the ruling structures of any state in this area.

The resolution of the International Union of Soil Sciences was supported by FAO (the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). Together with Thailand, this organization took the initiative at the UN to establish a day dedicated to the problem of the Earth's soil resources. In December 2013, the UN General Assembly proclaimed December 5 as World Soil Day.

More detailed familiarization with the reports of FAO representatives has made many aware of the real role of soil in human life. Soils – is one of the fundamental structures of the ecosystem, providing living space for humans and the world of flora and fauna, maintaining biological diversity, the main component of feed and food production, one of the conditions for safety and sustainability in conditions of adverse impacts from the climate factor, etc.

You cannot consider soil simply as a stable basis under a person’s feet. The – desert also provides sustainability, but deprives people of the opportunity to grow food. That is, the factor of land fertility plays one of the key roles in our lives. From this perspective, environmentalists and FAO representatives are concerned that about a third of the world's soil resources are degraded and some are susceptible to desertification. But soil and water are the most important resources for maintaining life on Earth. The soil-water relationship is at the heart of all agricultural systems.

Soil salinization and sodification are major soil degradation processes threatening the ecosystem and are recognized as among the most important challenges at the global level for agricultural production, food security and sustainability in arid and semi-arid regions.

Another factor – is soil pollution, which may be invisible and seems distant, but in reality affects every person, around the world. 95% of our food comes from the soil. With global population growth reaching 9 billion by 2050, soil pollution is a worldwide problem that is destroying our soils, poisoning the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. The true scale of the problem is still unknown, as many data are not available on a global scale.

Therefore, the main objectives of the events taking place within the framework of this Day are educational in nature. Also, through the efforts of scientists and ecologists, certain programs are being developed aimed at preserving soil resources and their rational and careful use. These programmes are addressed both to ordinary land users and to policy makers shaping decisions and having the ability to monitor their execution.

Every year on December 5, lectures, seminars, and exhibitions are held on the problem of preserving soil resources, without which the implementation of any global plans for sustainable development is impossible.

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