This December 5, World Soil Day is commemorated under the theme "Soil care: measure, monitor, manage," a date to reflect on the importance of this finite resource, essential for production, conservation, and food security.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) indicates that 75% of soils in Latin America and the Caribbean face degradation issues. This degradation results in losses that could reach USD 60 billion annually.

“Soils are Earth’s largest water filter, contain more carbon than all the vegetation on the planet combined, and host a vast diversity of crucial organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, which play a vital role in decomposing organic matter, releasing nutrients essential for plant growth. This intricate network of interactions supports the overall health and productivity of terrestrial ecosystems,” explains Ana Posas, FAO Agricultural Officer.

According to FAO data, the soils of Latin America and the Caribbean have the world's greatest potential for carbon sequestration and could mitigate between 12% and 48% of the region's net total greenhouse gases.

“The formation of healthy soil suitable for agricultural production is estimated to take between three thousand and 12 thousand years. Therefore, we must understand that sustainable soil management is the foundation for food security, resilience, and climate change adaptation,” added the expert.

Regional initiatives

FAO is implementing the Soil Recarbonization Initiative (RECSOIL), which aims to improve soil health through the return of organic carbon, with pilot projects in Mexico for maize, lemon, and agave cultivation, and in Costa Rica with a reward system for farmers who use sustainable soil management practices.

On the other hand, another initiative is the SOILFER project, which aims to map soils for resilient agri-food systems in Central America to restore their richness and productivity in a context of fertilizer crises and climate change.

In the Caribbean, the SOILCARE project works to establish an enabling environment for sustainable management practices and to restore degraded lands, improving food security.

Additionally, the Latin American Soil Laboratory Network (LATSOLAN), which brings together soil laboratories from the region to promote concrete actions to improve regional analytical capacity, includes 230 institutions from 23 Latin American and Caribbean countries. It focuses on innovation and technology.

Furthermore, the region has implemented the Protocol for the Assessment of Sustainable Soil Management promoted by FAO, which measures the sustainability of agricultural practices. This protocol is already being implemented in eight countries: Argentina, Costa Rica, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Uruguay. This tool allows for the adjustment and improvement of agricultural strategies based on obtained data, promoting more sustainable and resilient practices.

Another key initiative is the Global Soil Doctors Programme, based on FAO’s Farmer Field School system, which trains farmers in sustainable soil management. This program has already trained nearly 10,000 farmers in Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Saint Lucia, and Venezuela.

To integrate soil management into the climate agenda, alongside the Platform for Climate Action in Agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean (PLACA) and the Soil Alliance (ASLAC), an agenda of training and knowledge-sharing has been developed to improve governance and climate action in the region.

FAO works towards sustainable soil management to move towards Better Production, Better Environment, Better Nutrition, and a Better Life, leaving no one behind.