Soil Pollution and its effects on Agriculture

Soil pollution can lead to the emergence of new pests and diseases by changing the balance of ecosystems and causing the disappearance of predators or competing species that regulate their biomass. It also contributes to the spreading of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and genes, limiting humanity’s ability to cope with pathogens. Pollution can also cause the quality of soil to dwindle over time, making it harder to grow crops. Currently, the degradation of land and soils is affecting 40 per cent of the world’s population. Soil has a key role to play through its ecosystem functions as it affects water regulation, nutrient recycling, food production, climate change and the biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. Transitioning from soil degradation to practices that restore soil is critical to ensure the food security and wellbeing of generations to come has now become a call of time.