Soil degradation and its impact on your food supply
3D rendering of what will happen to your wheat crop when the soil begins to degrade
How much time have you really spent thinking about the ground, literally the soil, beneath your feet? Probably not much! But what if I told you that soil health was the key to a healthy and thriving world - and that without it we’re due for untold misery? You see, mostly everything you eat relies on healthy soil that can grow and support crops - but that could soon be a thing of the past. Soil degradation is accelerating faster than at any point in modern history and is already impacting the amount of food we produce.
What is soil degradation?
A quick history lesson on soil: It’s a complex mixture of minerals, organic matter (like decayed plants), water, air, and countless organisms. Soil degradation happens when soil loses its productivity and can’t support healthy crops as it used to. This is due to several reasons: erosion from wind and water, which washes away nutrient-rich topsoil; deforestation for farming or construction; overgrazing by livestock; and most of all, overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Experts estimate that soil degradation now affects over 52% of the world’s farmland.
“Many types of soil degradation are invisible - You just don’t see the loss of organic carbon from soils or pollution building up in it until you try to plant crops there”
In the United States alone, about half of the fields growing key crops like soybeans, wheat, cotton, and oats are dealing with these issues. Globally, the situation is just as alarming. To put the problem in perspective, picture this: every five seconds, we lose a soccer field’s worth of soil to erosion. That’s fertile ground that takes thousands of years to form, disappearing in an instant. This isn’t just a farmer’s problem—it’s a global crisis that impacts food security and our environment. Unsustainable farming practices are making things worse, leading to a vicious cycle of soil degradation and lower crop productivity.
What does this mean for the food we eat?
The deteriorating quality of soil directly impacts crop production, leading to reduced yields, increased costs, and higher food prices. According to BBC Future, over a third of the world’s topsoil has been lost in recent decades, causing crop yields to drop by as much as 50% in severely affected areas. This not only diminishes productivity but also forces farmers to rely on more expensive and less sustainable methods to maintain yields. If soil degradation continues at the current rate, it could take 1,000 years for the lost soil to regenerate naturally, posing a major threat to global food security and economic stability, especially in countries where agriculture is a key economic driver.
Combating soil degradation
To combat soil degradation, we should encourage practices such as adopting cover crops, reducing tillage, and integrating organic matter. "Effective soil conservation measures can reduce soil erosion by up to 90%," the World Resources Institute states. Additionally, soil health management practices can restore degraded lands and increase resilience against climate change. Implementing these strategies on a broader scale is essential for preserving soil quality and ensuring long-term agricultural productivity.
This shift requires a proactive approach. Procurement leaders need to establish relationships with a broader network of suppliers and consider regions with differing climates and growing seasons to mitigate the impact of localized soil issues. Leveraging tools like Helios, which provides advanced analytics and real-time forecasting, can help identify potential risks in the supply chain early on. Helios AI helps procurement leaders track global soil conditions, predict disruptions, and diversify sourcing for a stronger supply chain.
The soil crisis is a wake-up call for procurement leaders to prioritize sustainability and resilience in their supply chains. The time to act is now. Diversifying supply sources and investing in soil health are no longer optional—they are essential strategies for securing our long-term food security.
