Global soil erosion outpaces natural recovery, report warns

A recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations warns that global soil erosion is occurring at a rate that outpaces natural recovery processes. Isaac Larsen, an associate professor at the University of Massachusetts, is a lead author of the report "Status of the World's Soil Resources 2026." Larsen's research has been instrumental in the report's examination of agricultural soil erosion and the gap between human-induced erosion and natural rates of soil formation.

The report highlights erosion as one of the most serious threats facing soils globally. Larsen's studies have employed high-precision surveying, satellite imagery, and geochemical techniques to measure erosion and reconstruct historical soil loss. One particular study found that in the U.S. Corn Belt region, about 35% of cultivated land had lost topsoil, leading to a 6% reduction in crop yields and causing an annual loss of $2.8 billion.

The FAO report emphasizes the need for sustainable soil management practices, such as reduced tillage, cover crops, crop diversification, and agroforestry, to mitigate soil erosion. While there has been significant growth in the science behind sustainable soil management, the report concludes that most of the world's soils are currently being managed in unsustainable ways.

Larsen hopes the report will draw attention to this disparity and enable policymakers to incentivize farming practices that conserve and regenerate soil.