Dear Friends,
Please find attached my comments to the Zero Draft on Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management
Best regards
José Luis Rubio
Vice Chair of the European Soil Bureau Network - ESBN (JRC, EC)
Immediate Past President of the European Society for Soil Conservation - ESSC
Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación- CIDE
(CSIC,Universitat de Valencia, Generalitat Valenciana)
CIDE Web: http://www.uv.es/cide
ESSC Web: http://www.essc.sk
Personal Web: http://www.uv.es/~jlrubio
Observations to Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management
General comments
The Zero Draft is a good Document underlining most important aspects to be consider for general Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management. The task is difficult owing to the enormous variety of soil type and conditions, crops, management, environmental situations and socio cultural background. I like the emphasis on soil biological aspects to enhance soil functions, including of course soil productivity, and the provision of ecosystem services. I lack more considerations on the management of drylands
Answers to the five questions submitted:
Question 1.Generally yes but also it should be considered, between others:
a) The need to include land use planning and the need to adapt land use to land agroecological capacity
b) Restoration of degraded land
Question 2. Dry land management and combating desertification strategies and measures are not included. Desertification risk is one of the most important problems worldwide with serious ecological, economic and social consequences that deserves better consideration and appoaches
One specific aspect not included: the need to eliminate or drastically reducing burning of stubble and plant residues
Qustion 3. Yes, but more emphasis on the mitigation capacity of soil in relation to climate change should be more highlighted
Question 4. If they are really implemented a great advance in the sustainable soil management will be achieved
Question 5. Besides the mentioned aspects in combating desertification, the Document is weak in urban and periurban soil aspects (urban orchards, urban soils, sealing,..) which are important and emerging subject
Some other comments on the Zero Draft text
- The wording of Goal 15/ 15.3 (pg 2) should be changed. The present text say: “By 2030, combat desertification, and restore degraded land….” It’s give the wrong and misleading impression that we should wait until 2030 to start combating desertification and the other indicated topics ¡¡¡¡. The new wording should indicated the message that the efforts into combating desertification…. will reach a satisfactory level of accomplishment by 2030, for example
- The same is applicable to the wording of paragraph Goal 2/2.4. The message should be to indicate to start now to meet all this important objectives
- In pg 3, in the second point of the scope, I do not like the differentiating reference to “technical and biological aspects”. I propose : “technical and biotechnical aspects”
- In pg 3, in the fifth point of the scope, the reference to the report on The Status of the World Soil Resources creates some points of doubts because, and just as one example of confusion, in the mentioned Report, and surprisingly, there is not any reference to desertification as a soil problem
- The title of the document Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management seems to consider “Soil” in its wider range of use and conditions. A long the text, the references are exclusively for agricultural soils. Of course this is the main focus of the Document in the context of food security and the others related objectives (nutrition…) but in my opinion some references to other related soil uses influencing food security like agroforestry, pastures (only a mention in pg13 on grazing land), agronomy,.. even urban soils,.. should be at least mentioned as general consideration in some adequate place in the Document.
- In pg 8,in the paragraph on “The consequences of excess nutrient…”, a mention to the impacts of excess of nitrogen fertilizers in subsurface waters and aquifers, should be included
- In pg 9 paragraph on “The soil efficiently captures precipitation….” A mention to the benefits of adequate soil and water conservation measures and practices, mainly in step land, should be included. The new approaches on bioengineering soil and water conservation should be highlighted
- In pg 11 paragraph on “The area of current agricultural….” and pg 12 paragraph 3.1, a mention to the need to incorporate permeable surfaces on urban an periurban areas should be indicated
- In pg 17 besides the mentioned disadvantage of conservation agriculture others negative aspects should be indicated such as the increased reliance on herbicides which can originated water contamination and the requirement of new machinery and new technological input and capital. It should be promoted new and more ecological use of the soil by improving its biological component and promoting agroecological functions and services of the land but the Document should carefully avoid any connotation of endorsing private commercial business
- Direct seeding method Requires new machinery with new technology; input capital may cause financial strain on farmers
José Luis Rubio