Reversing soil degradation 10% could feed 70 million more, study finds
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Reversing human-caused soil degradation by 10% could enable Earth's arable land to feed an additional 70 million people, according to a study published in Nature Food. Researchers from the University of Bonn, University of Minnesota, University of Basel and Hamburg University of Technology quantified the impact of erosion, dehydration and compaction on crop yields for the first time.
The Yield Gap
The study divided all arable land into 10 km squares and compared yields under similar climatic conditions, adjusting for fertilizer and irrigation. Areas with minimal degradation served as benchmarks for potential productivity. Dr. Hadi Hadi of the University of Bonn led the analysis, which correlated yield gaps with five degradation parameters: erosion, dehydration, compaction, carbon loss and low vegetation cover.
Degradation Drivers
Slash-and-burn agriculture, overfertilization and large-scale monoculture threaten soil quality, exacerbated by climate change-induced storms and heavy rainfall that wash away topsoil. Falling groundwater levels compound the problem as precipitation runs off rather than seeping in. The study provides the first global quantification of how these factors reduce crop yields.
What's Next
The findings could inform agricultural policies and land management practices aimed at reversing degradation. However, implementing a 10% reversal globally would require coordinated action across countries with varying economic and environmental conditions, and the feasibility of such large-scale restoration remains uncertain.
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Reversing soil degradation 10% could feed 70 million more, study finds
