Welcome to part 11 of our mini series promoting #WorldSoilDay on 5th December 2021. Here we look at the ability for soils to store and filter water. This is part of our series on Growing Sustainably.
You can find all content in this mini series at Mini Series: #WorldSoilDay 2021 Salt Affected Soils.
If you already know that you have the power to improve soils and help climate change by making conscious buying decisions, here are the options:
- Check out #VoteWithOurMoney with 6 Steps to Help Stop Climate Change
- Try the Sustainability Roadmap with 40+ Solutions to Climate Change
- Use the Company Directory to Help You Grow, Eat, and Live Sustainably
If you want some more facts before making any decisions, let’s get into the details:
The source of content for this article is fao.org/resources/infographics/infographics-details/en/c/357132/.
Part 10 of this mini series covered Soil Organic Carbon Loss. This time we’re looking at the ability for soils to store and filter water.
Functional soils play a key role in the supply of clean water and resilience to floods and droughts. Water infiltration through soil, traps pollutants and prevents them from leaching into the groundwater. Moreover, the soil captures and stores water, making it available for absorption by crops, and thus minimizing surface evaporation, and maximizing water use efficiency and productivity.
Soils Improve Food Security and Our Resilience to Floods and Droughts
Healthy soils with a high organic matter content can store large amounts of water. This is crucial for maintaining food production while also improving resilience to floods and droughts.
What Is Soil Moisture?
Soil moisture content is the amount of water in the soil (by weight).
The Maximum Amount of Water That a Soil Can Retain Depends On:
- The soil’s texture and structure
- Organic matter content
- Rooting depth
Soil organic matter can retain about 20 times its weight in water.
Soil Moisture and Food Security
Water is the “lifeblood” of agriculture — improved soil moisture management is critical for sustainable food production.
Inhibiting a soil’s capacity to accept, retain, release and transmit water reduces its productivity.
The great challenge for the future will be increasing food production with less water.
As most smallholder farmers in developing countries rely on rain-fed agriculture, improved soil moisture optimization and management is crucial.
Over cultivation, overgrazing and deforestation strain soil and water resources by reducing topsoil and vegetation cover, and lead to dependence on irrigated cropping.
Meeting food security targets requires sustainable agricultural policies that ensure improved soil quality and water retention.
Improving Soil Moisture
Many sustainable agricultural and land management practices can improve soil moisture retention (many of these are covered by farmers that practice regenerative agriculture):
- Residue covers, cover crops and mulching
- Conservation tillage
- Zero-tillage
- Conservation agriculture
- Capture of runoff from adjacent lands
- Rainwater harvesting
- Knowledge-based precision irrigation
Efficient use of water, reduced use of pesticides and improvements in soil health can lead to average crop yield increases of 79%.
You Can Improve Soils and Reverse Climate Change
I realised that the decisions I make when buying healthy food, give me the power to help climate change, encourage farmers to switch from degenerative to regenerative agriculture, and improve the health and happiness of my family.
Advocating for regenerative agriculture can seem completely removed from our day to day lives, however, the questions we ask in food shops, the healthy food we buy, and the conscious choices we make are all reminders that we have the power to improve our future and the health of planet earth.
Check-out our 10-part mini series on Conscious Buying Decisions to Help Climate Change with an article going live every week starting from 18th November 2021. You can also get the audio version by subscribing to our podcast or the video version by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
About World Soil Day 2021
Soil salinization and sodification are major soil degradation processes threatening ecosystem and are recognized as being among the most important problems at a global level for agricultural production, food security, and sustainability in arid and semi-arid regions. World Soil Day 2021 (#WorldSoilDay) and its campaign “Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity” aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, fighting soil salinization, increasing soil awareness, and encouraging societies to improve soil health.
Find Out More at UN FAO World Soil Day
Want To Get Updates About This Mini Series?
You can get updates about this mini series by Subscribing to Our Newsletter, Subscribing to Our Podcast, or Subscribing to Our YouTube Channel.
Suggested Reading
If you like the topic of this mini series, you might be interested in these reading suggestions with links to each book on Amazon.
Find Kiss the Ground by Josh Tickell Here on Amazon*
Find Soil Will Save Us by Kristin Ohlson Here on Amazon*
Find Soil, Grass, Hope by Courtney White Here on Amazon*
Find Dawn Again: Tracking the Wisdom of the Wild by Markegard and Doniga Here on Amazon*
Find Diet for a Hot Planet by Anna Lappé Here on Amazon*
Find Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life by David Montgomery Here on Amazon*
Want to Continue Your Journey?
Where Next?
There is so much inspiring information to give you ideas of how to help climate change by growing, eating, and living sustainably, you can:
- Read Our Articles
- Sign-Up to Our Free Email Newsletter
- Get Started and Vote with Your Money
- Try the Sustainability Roadmap
- Use the Company Directory
- Support Nafford Junction
Help Us Inspire Others
If you are passionate about helping climate change, please consider supporting Nafford Junction, you can:
- Become a Patron to Give Regular Contributions
- Buy Me a Coffee to Make a One-Off Contribution
- Create for Us and Publish Thought Provoking Content
- Become an Inspiring Leader and Advertise with Us
- Go to NaffordJunction.co.uk/support
Sources Used to Create This Piece
Production Notes
This was produced by me, James Walters, as a personal project to help stop climate change by inspiring others to grow, eat, and live sustainably.
Any advice given is the opinion of those involved and does not constitute medical, financial, or legal advice.
* We include links we think you will find useful. If you buy through those links, we may earn a small commission. It’s one way to support our work and to inspire as many people as possible.