Half of the fertile soils have been destroyed. Free Technical Library News

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Half of the fertile soils have been destroyed

05.06.2019

The production of 95% of crops depends on the quality of the topsoil. However, experts warn that over the past 150 years, half of the fertile soils have already disappeared.

The rest can be exhausted within the next 60 years. In the United States, a country with active and modern agriculture, arable land is disappearing 10 times faster than it is being restored.

As the Guardian notes, the main reason for the loss of topsoil is intensive farming. On farms that use excessive amounts of fertilizer, soils are more vulnerable to the effects of rain and wind.

Their degradation is also facilitated by over-tillage, lack of cover crops, growing only one or two plant species, and excess pesticides. All these are features that characterize modern "efficient" agriculture.

To cope with the impending crisis, farmers are shifting to new farming methods. For example, they stop using the plow, which increases the content of organic matter in the soil. In 2017, already 40% of American farmers abandoned arable land cultivation.

Another way to conserve soils is to plant cover crops between harvests. Plants such as rye and buckwheat provide organic matter to the soil and nourish beneficial microorganisms. And corn and soy help it retain moisture, which is especially true in dry areas.

Experts emphasize that governments need to encourage farmers to take measures to protect soils. Otherwise, humanity will face catastrophic consequences.

Syria or Libya can be cited as an example. During the time of the Roman Empire, a huge amount of grain was grown in the territories of these countries, but barbarian agriculture turned the fertile lands into deserts.

Loss of fertile soils is not the only problem of agriculture. Due to climate change, the productivity of major crops, from soybeans to oil palms, is changing. Yields have already fallen seriously in many regions, with the world's poorest regions hardest hit.

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