Join us on December 3 at our booth at the Brazos Valley Farmers Market in Downtown Bryan to learn more about soils and what soil scientists and students at Texas A&M do. We will also have information about Soil and Crop Sciences programs and exciting learning and experiential activities for kids. You can also bring your home’s soil to run some basic soil tests during the event.
About World Soil Day
World Soil Day was established in December 2013 by the United Nations General Assembly and was first celebrated on the 5th of December 2014 starting the “2015 International Year of Soil” under the theme “Healthy soils for a healthy life.” Since then,every year worldwide, different outreach and educational events and activities have been carried out to increase awareness and understanding of the relevance of soil systems for healthy ecosystems, food security, and human and social well-being.Soil worlds day has focused on different aspects relevant to soilconservation education and promotion every year. 2016 was dedicated to highlighting the importance of plant microbial interactions in legumes, 2017 to soil carbon, 2018 focused on soil pollution, 2019 on soil erosion, 2020 on soil biodiversity,and 2021 on soil salinization and its effects on productivity.
This year the theme is “Soil, where food begins” highlighting the role that healthy soils have on food production, human health, and nutrition. 95% of all the food produced in the world depends on having healthy soils. Most essential nutrients we require y come directly from soils. However, about a third of the soils in the world are degraded, and another significant proportion is at high risk of degrading. It is critical and urgent to increase our understanding of soil functions and improve the way we treat soils.
Dozens of Soils and Crop Science Department’s faculty, researchers, extension specialists, and students dedicate their careers to studying and promoting sustainable use of soils in different managed agroecosystems and natural ecosystems across Texas and the world. They significantly contribute to the fundamental understanding of soils, their functions, and their interactions with human communities, plants, microbes, and ecosystems as a whole. Thus, providing relevant information and solutions to some of the most critical challenges that threaten soil health, food security, human health, and communities’ livelihood.