Hundreds of millions will flee homes if soil degradation continues, new report warns

Non-profit group cautions that millions more people will be displaced across the world if urgent action is not taken

A new report calls for urgent action to protect the soil and support communities that rely on agriculture. Photo: Save Soil

Time is running out to reduce the degradation of Earth's soil and, without urgent action, the forced migration of people as a result is estimated to soar, a new report said.

Warning that “soil degradation is a critical and often overlooked threat multiplier,” the Save Soil non-profit organisation highlighted that when agricultural productivity was hit, millions were forced to leave their homes, unable to bear the brunt of relentless droughts and floods.

Titled “The nexus of soil degradation, climate change and food insecurity: A looming global migration crisis," the report, released on Thursday, analyses data from organisations including the World Bank and the UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification). The World Bank has warned that more than 216 million people could be displaced from their homes by 2050 due to climate change with the poorest regions the worst affected.

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"When soil loses its vitality, communities lose their resilience to drought, crop yields plummet, and people are left with no choice but to move,” said Praveena Sridhar, chief technology officer of Save Soil, urging action to prevent the doubling of forced global migration by 2100 due to increased aridity and drought.

“Maintaining healthy soil with adequate organic matter is not just an environmental issue, it's fundamental to preventing forced migration.”

Invest in soil health

Ms Sridhar said investing in soil health was necessary to reduce the pressures driving global migration and also opened a path to tackle the impact of climate change and ensure food security. She said countries should frame policies to restore soil health, remove chemical fertilisers and pesticides and allow the soil to retain water and nutrients with regenerative agricultural practices.

Calling on governments and civil society to prioritise soil protection and restoration, she said, “This report underscores the urgent need to see healthy and living soil as the solution for the nexus of problems that humanity faces through mass migration, climate change, land degradation and food security.”

The Save Soil organisation has often launched global campaigns to raise awareness that protecting soil is essential to save the planet and tackle the climate crisis. The group supports more than 250,000 Indian farmers to implement soil revitalisation projects and hopes to place soil nutrition on the agenda of all governments.

Dangerous consequences

The United Nations has warned of a dangerous decline in food production over the next 25 years, with the Earth’s topsoil at risk by 2050.

"Our report reveals that the foundation of stable communities is literally eroding beneath our feet," the study said. It pointed out that the severe consequences of soil degradation were already evident, with crop production expected to decline by 22 per cent by 2040 in sub-Saharan Africa, with maize yields in some regions likely to drop by 50 per cent by 2050.

Countries in the Middle East and North Africa region are among the most vulnerable. They have called on the international community to give priority to regions facing drought, water scarcity and rising temperatures that contribute to forced migration.

Forced global migration will rise if the soil is not protected. Photo: Save Soil

The impact will also be felt in Europe, with more land turning arid and dry, which will subsequently affect food production. The report emphasised that the impact of soil degradation and climate change on mass migration cannot be overlooked.

Sustainable land management practices that teach farmers not to over-till the land, and to use organic compost and plant trees to reduce erosion are vital for food security and to help communities to remain in their homes, the study said.