admin The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has published its first major global review of salt-affected soils in half a century. The report reveals that approximately 1.4 billion hectares of land—over 10 percent of the global land area—are already impacted by salinity. An additional one billion hectares are at risk due to climate change and unsustainable land management practices.
Presented during the International Soil and Water Forum 2024 in Bangkok, the Global Status of Salt-Affected Soils report highlights the urgent need to combat soil degradation and water scarcity. Co-organised by FAO and Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the event included discussions on strategies to halt and reverse soil salinisation.
Excessive salinity reduces soil fertility, jeopardising environmental sustainability and food production. In the worst-affected regions, crops such as rice and beans suffer yield losses of up to 70 percent due to salinity stress, compounding the challenge of feeding a growing global population.
Key findings of the report
The report estimates that 1,381 million hectares (10.7 percent of the global land area) are affected by salinity. Around 10 percent of irrigated and rainfed cropland also faces salinity issues, though data limitations introduce significant uncertainty. Projections suggest that under current warming trends, the extent of salt-affected soils could rise to 24–32 percent of global land area, with the majority of this impact occurring in developing nations.
Currently, 10 countries—Afghanistan, Australia, Argentina, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, the United States, Iran, Sudan, and Uzbekistan—account for 70 percent of the world’s salt-affected soils.
Natural and human-induced drivers of salinisation
The climate crisis is intensifying aridity and freshwater scarcity, with rising sea levels threatening over one billion coastal residents with flooding and salinisation by the century’s end. Global warming is also contributing to salinity issues through permafrost thawing.
Human activities play a significant role in accelerating salinisation. Poor agricultural practices, such as irrigation with low-quality water, inadequate drainage, deforestation, and excessive groundwater extraction, exacerbate the issue. Overuse of fertilisers, de-icing agents, and mining activities further contribute to soil salinity.
Global freshwater use has surged sixfold over the past century, with aquifer overexploitation for irrigation driving groundwater salinisation.
Strategies for sustainable management
With salt-affected soils comprising at least 10 percent of the world’s land, sustainable management is critical for meeting future food demands.
The report outlines various mitigation strategies, including mulching, introducing drainage systems, using interlayers of loose material, and improving crop rotation practices. Adaptation strategies focus on breeding salt-tolerant plants like halophytes, which thrive in saline environments, and employing bioremediation techniques to remove harmful substances from the environment using bacteria, fungi, or plants.
The report also calls for national and international legal frameworks to protect saline ecosystems and promote sustainable management of irrigated soils. By safeguarding soil productivity and health, these measures aim to ensure food quality and security for future generations.
Other highlights from the Bangkok event
In addition to the soil assessment, FAO released two progress reports addressing water management challenges.
The first report tracks trends in water-use efficiency across global, regional, and national levels, offering recommendations to promote sustainable water use. The second examines the pressure on renewable freshwater resources from economic activities, with a focus on regions facing critical water stress and food security risks.
These reports support the monitoring of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators 6.4.1 and 6.4.2, which are crucial for agricultural productivity, ecosystem balance, and climate resilience.
By emphasising the interconnection between soil health, water quality, and food security, FAO’s efforts underline the urgent need for global action to address these interconnected challenges.
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