Overcultivation causes major destruction: we need to protect the soil
2024. April 16.The state of topsoil and its degradation is a complex problem affecting the whole population.
A city dweller is less aware of the extent to which we are over-exploiting our soils.
In Europe, 60-70% of arable land is not healthy.
In our country, 90% of soils are affected and this will not get any better in the future if we do not change it.
But how can we protect our soils?
What can we do to ensure that we have something to farm decades from now?
The basic elements of our existence
Soils are a fundamental part of our lives, as living systems that can be affected negatively or positively by land use, depending on how and with what we cultivate them.
Today’s generation needs to bear in mind that if they want to produce good quality and sufficient food for the future, they need to protect the land.
It is clear that the current system of operation is not sustainable, with changing climatic conditions adversely affecting cultivation, for which there is almost no compensation.
Why is this necessary?
Because soil is our largest water storage system, if we don’t protect it, we won’t have anywhere to store rainfall.
Ploughing, leaving the soil surface exposed and reducing organic matter content all degrade the structure and reduce biological activity.
However, efforts should be made to allow precipitation to move through the soil.
Failure to take advantage of this will result in a soil of inadequate structure and quality.
This can be helped by the use of cover crops, no rotation and the use of green manure.
The condition of the soil depends on how it is cultivated, as this can also affect water retention.
But this takes time, it doesn’t happen overnight.
What do you need to know about soil?
In the built environment, the soil structure in the top few centimetres is compacted, plate-like, calcareous and alkaline.
Even in comparison with cultivated areas, it has become more stale, as almost all the organic matter has decomposed.
This condition can have a negative impact on the development of crops grown in urban small gardens.
The situation could lead to a situation where nothing grows in these areas, as there is nothing left to grow. 
Because of their deteriorating ecological functions, these soils are less able to absorb and store carbon, and thus much less rainfall.
It dries out more quickly, which means that in times of drought almost everything dies.
What can we do?
First and foremost, we should aim to buy and eat mainly local and seasonal fruit and vegetables, which have a much smaller ecological footprint.
Where possible, choose organic vegetables, as they come from farms where the crops are grown without chemicals and in a gentle way, which means less damage to the soil and land.
Reducing or even eliminating meat and dairy products can also help the soil.
Three quarters of farmland is used to grow feed for livestock, which destroys resources and natural habitats.
Last but not least, we avoid foods containing palm oil and soya.
In order to produce them, rainforests are cleared, which can cause serious ecological damage to nature.
As far as farmers are concerned, they must take care of the current state of the soil, preserve it and improve it.
The best solution is to stop turning it all the time, so that it has a better consistency and water retention capacity, which will be rewarded by the plants.
In addition, avoid the use of chemicals, use as few as possible and use as natural a source as possible.
Of course, all this is not nearly enough if we do not individually pay attention to the use of agricultural machinery, gardening, plant cultivation and orchard care.