CropLife Asia Shares Message of Sustainability this World Soil Day

Singapore, 05 December 2019 – This World Soil Day, CropLife Asia joins the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in calling to Stop Soil Erosion, Save our Future. With more than 30%[i] of the world’s land area dedicated to agriculture, growing our world’s food supply in a sustainable manner is an essential component of protecting and preserving natural resources such as our soil. CropLife Asia and the plant science industry are committed to the research and development of technologies that can support healthy soils and sustain a healthy ecosystem.

Soil is an important carbon sink that stores 10% of the world’s carbon dioxide. When soil is disturbed or tilled, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere and contributes to global warming. From crop protection products to biotech seeds, plant science technologies enable farmers to incorporate sustainable practices such as conservation or no-till agriculture. No-till agriculture keeps carbon in the soil and requires fewer filed passes hence using less fuel than tillage. In 2018 alone, the amount of carbon dioxide saved from no-till agriculture was 27.1 billion kilograms, equivalent to removing 16.7 million cars off the road for 1 year[ii].

“Fertile and healthy soils are crucial for a sustainable food supply,” commented Dr. Siang Hee Tan, Executive Director for CropLife Asia. “With the effects of climate change evident across Asia, it is important more than ever that we continue to equip our region’s farmers with the innovative tools they need to practice sustainable agriculture and protect the soil we rely on for our food.”

Biotech crops in particular helped conserve biodiversity by saving 183 million of land from plowing and cultivation in 2018[iii]. Avoiding soil disruption helps keep the outermost layer of soil which has a high concentration of nutrients, healthy and productive. Farmers are also able to avoid tilling the soil to remove weeds through biotech seeds or crop protection products that control weeds, allowing the soil to retain its structure and reduce erosion.

[i] Agricultural Land (% of land area) – World Bank (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.AGRI.ZS)
[ii] ISAAA Brief 54-2018 Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops in 2018
[iii] ISAAA Brief 54-2018 Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops in 2018