Soil degradation generally involves the loss of soil biota, which in turn makes land less fertile. Soil biota are the tiny living organisms which create the structure and uphold the functions that make soil fertile and enable it to absorb and retain enough moisture for crops to thrive. Soil degradation also affects the ability of soil to make more soil - reducing its ‘recharge rate’. This, in turn, forms part of a vicious cycle whereby topsoil is eroded by wind and water – a process exacerbated by the changing climate. 

Soil degradation is a global crisis, especially where land is subject to industrial agriculture. Soil biota are killed by herbicides used to kill weeds, pesticides used to kill insects and pathogens, and monoculture cropping, for example. Soil degradation disproportionately affects poorer, small-scale farmers who cannot afford fertilizers and irrigation, and as industrial agriculture adds toxic ‘inputs’ until the land is no longer arable, this leads to ‘land grabs’ where large industrial farms buy up smaller parcels of farmland. Given that soil is a vital carbon sink, soil degradation – and the industrial farming methods that contribute to it – are a large source of carbon emissions.

To nurture healthy soil, methods of restorative and regenerative soil-building should be developed and adapted to specific land conditions. For example, biodiverse planting supports soil health and reduces vulnerability to pests and pathogens, and traditional knowledge often holds the key to unlocking ecologically sound agricultural productivity through sustainable soil and land management, while maintaining soil’s role as an important carbon store.

Ignore this Crisis if no player has any Communities in Crisis.

The player with the most Communities in Crisis loses 2 Ecological Resilience. In the Solo game, lose just 1 Ecological Resilience.

If this Crisis was face up during the Local stage and players tucked a Ecology tag under it, this effect can be ignored.

How Indigenous Land Management Practices Are a Blueprint for Climate-Resilient Agriculture (Resilience.org)

• Ask politicians to ensure that regenerative farmers are economically rewarded for their efforts, and ban unsafe practices.

• Compost food waste and any other organic materials to produce fertile soil that is rich in nutrients, helping to sequester carbon and reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.

• Campaign to end deforestation and for land use changes in your region to be scrutinized against climate and ecological goals.