The Dirt on Soil

Soil is one of the world’s most valued resources Soil erosion triggers land degradation affecting the world’s food supply. As Sean Willet wrote in his book, Soil Erosion and Land Degradation, “The loss of this resource, through land degradation processes such as wind and water erosion, is one of the most serious environmental problems we are faced with as it is destroying the means of producing food”.

Erosion, takes away the best organic matters, it tempers with the depth of the top rich soil, reduces the soils capacity to hold water, and affects the soil biota. The beneficial impact of rain is then reduced too due to increases in water runoff and reductions in the soil's water holding capacity. Taken together or separately, these factors limit the soil's productivity and, as a result, can reduce crop yields and thus endangers our food supply.

For more information on erosion and land degradation check out this link:

http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/land_deg/land_deg.html

What you can you do?

Support organic farming by purchasing organic foods and encourage your local retailer to stock organic produce. Find out where the produce you buy comes from and encourage your local Super Market to supply produce which is farmed by using environmentally friendly methods.
To find out more about what you can do go to the United States Department of Agriculture's ask the expert page. Find it at:

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=ASK_EXPERT