World Soil Day 2022

World Soil Day is held annually on 5 December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources. The Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) strongly supports maintaining a focus on the need to protect and improve our soils.

When we think about the ongoing need to feed the growing world population, soil is at the very essence of that need, Mr Peter Wadewitz OAM, Chair of AORA commented. Without productive soils, with the right nutrient profile, pH and water retention capabilities, agriculture cannot produce. That includes the food and fibre we all need, and it is not just the crops that are reliant on healthy soils we all think about in the first instance. Healthy soils are also needed for livestock production, for healthy rivers and natural habitats, for healthy flora and fauna populations and for every living thing on the planet. If we cannot protect and improve our soils, the adverse consequences are far reaching.

Recycled organic material, produced naturally, provides a readily available and cost-effective way to help maintain soil health, Mr Wadewitz noted. We have at our disposal, especially in Australia, a supply of compost, mulches, and soil conditioners available that have proven to be highly beneficial to maintaining soil health and increased productivity. Building an awareness and increased understanding of the benefits of compost, mulches, and soil conditioners, especially within agricultural applications is what we now need to achieve.

The Hon. Penny Wensley AC, National Soils Advocate and Patron of AORA, understands and agrees. As a former Governor of Queensland, Ms Wensley has seen first-hand the impact of the succession of droughts, floods and cyclones experienced by Queensland, including the biggest storm ever to hit Queensland, Cyclone Yasi in 2011, all of which strengthened her commitment to advocating for sustainability and better management of Australia’s natural assets including soil. ‘Soils: Where food begins’ is the theme for this year’s World Soil Day noted and for very good reason - 95% of our food comes from soils.

Soil degradation induces some soils to be nutrient depleted losing their capacity to support crops, while others have such a high nutrient concentration that represent a toxic environment to plants and animals, pollutes the environment and cause climate change. We must raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, increasing soil awareness, and encouraging societies to improve soil health. This is why 5 December is so important, but in reality, we need to think about our soils every day.

For more information on AORA, please visit www.aora.org.au and for more information on World Soil Day, visit https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-soil-day.

 

AORA Media Contact: Mr John McKew, National Executive Office (john@aora.org.au) / 0434 711 077

 

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