Dominica to observe World Soil Day held annually on 5th December as a means to focus attention on the importance of Healthy Soil and to advocate for the Sustainable Management of Soil Resources

World Soil Day 2 (WSD) is held annually on 5th December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the Sustainable Management of Soil Resources. World Soil Day 2021 and its campaign & halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity & aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, fighting soil salinization, increasing soil awareness and encouraging societies to improve soil health.
 
International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. World Soil Day as an international day to celebrate soil was recommended by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in 2002. Under the leadership of the Kingdom of Thailand and within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership, FAO has supported the formal establishment of World Soil Day as a global awareness raising platform.
 
Within the theme of this year’s observance, it is well known that soils can become salt-affected very quickly for a variety of reasons: due to human mismanagement, excessive or inappropriate use of fertilizers, deforestation, sea level rises, a shallow water table which affects the root- zone, or seawater intrusion into groundwater that is then used for irrigation. Climate change is also raising the stakes, with models suggesting that global drylands could expand by as much as 23 percent – mostly in developing countries - by the end of the century.
​