December 5 – World Soil Day

World Soil Day is commemorated every year on December 5, with the aim to shine the spotlight on the essentiality of healthy soils to sustain life on the planet. ‘Keep soil alive, Protect soil biodiversity’ is the theme for World Soil Day 2020. It is important for people to understand that our food security depends on healthy soil.

The Day also aims to mobilise public and political will to address challenges to the sustainable management of soil resources. Soil is home to more than one-fourth of the Earth’s biodiversity. World Soil Day on December 5 is one of the key dates on the UN calendar when outreach activities globally try to bring governments, businesses, non-profit groups, scientists and the people on the same page to understand the causes of soil erosion, soil pollution and how we can encourage soil conservation at the local level. World Soil Day 2020 will be different from other years as most interactions and discussions will be online due to the pandemic situation.

The idea of observing World Soil Day was floated in the early 2000s. It was in 2002, under the leadership of Thailand King Bhumibol Adulyadej, it was decided that an international soil day should be observed.In 2013, the suggestion was formally adopted as a resolution by the United National (UN) General Assembly. The 1st observance of World Soil took place in 214. The date, December 5 was decided to commemorate the birth anniversary of late H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej.