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World Soil Day, 2020

December 5, 2020

The International Year of Soil, 2015 (IYS-2015) was declared by the sixty eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly on December 20th, 2013 after recognizing December 5th as World Soil Day.

The purpose of the IYS was to raise awareness worldwide of the importance of soils for Food security, Agriculture as well as in mitigation of climate change, poverty alleviation and sustainable development.

The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) and the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) have invited the public to continue to celebrate World Soil Day on the 5th of December on an ongoing basis.
World Soil Day also highlight the growing problem due to population expansion. Therefore, it is necessary to take a step to reduce the erosion of soil, to maintain fertility so that food safety can be ensured.

Soil is made up of minerals, organic matter and air in different proportions. It is important for life as it provides the medium for the growth of a plant, habitat for several insects and other organisms. It also acts as a filtration system for surface water and in the maintenance of atmospheric gases. It is the source of four essential 'living' factors including food, clothes, shelter and medicine. Therefore, conservation of soil is necessary.
So, to raise awareness about soil loss, World Soil Day is celebrated on 5 December.