Healthy soils: a prerequisite for sustainable food security

Soil health constitutes the foundation for the production of healthy food and thus contributes to local and global food security. Recent findings indicate that there will need to be a 60 % increase in global food production and associated ecosystem services by 2050. However, one-third of global soils are currently facing moderate to severe degradation through soil erosion, nutrient depletion, salinity, sealing and contamination. Evidence-based decisions and soil information are crucial for achieving sustainable soil management at all levels. In 2012, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations established the Global Soil Partnership to highlight effective and concerted actions against soil degradation and to advocate healthy soils for a food secure world.