Dhaka, Bangladesh – FAO’s 2021 World Soil Day campaign, ‘Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity’, aims to raise awareness about this problem which affects many countries, including Bangladesh. In fact, it’s estimated that more than half of coastal Bangladesh is affected by salinization. This means that tens of thousands of smallholder farmers are affected. Because of salinization, they will have lower yields and so earn less money. On a national level, agricultural productivity is reduced.

In his speech at this year’s event in Dhaka, FAO Representative Robert D. Simpson said: “We must look for innovative ways to transform our agri-food systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable — but we can’t do that if we do not have healthy soil.”

Honourable Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Minister of Agriculture, and Honourable Md. Shahab Uddin, State Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, also spoke at the event.

Healthy soils are a pre-requisite to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals and form the basis of FAO’s Four Betters - better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life.

Soil salinization degrades soil health, threatens ecosystems, and at a global level decreases agricultural productivity significantly, posing a threat to food security. Build-up of excessive salt in soils degrades water quality, reduces soil biodiversity, and increases soil erosion. Salt-affected soils also have a decreased ability to act as a buffer and filter against pollutants.

Soils can become salt-affected very quickly for a variety of reasons: due to human mismanagement, excessive or inappropriate use of fertilisers, deforestation, sea level rises, or seawater intrusion into groundwater that is then used for irrigation. Climate change is raising the stakes.

Last month, FAO launched the Global Map of Salt-Affected Soils, a key tool for halting salinization and boosting productivity. The map estimates that there are more than 833 million hectares of salt-affected soils around the globe (8.7% of the planet). The map also shows that 20 to 50 percent of irrigated soils in all continents are too salty, meaning that more than 1.5 billion people worldwide face significant challenges in growing food due to soil degradation.