Soil and Water: A Source of Life

Soil and water are indispensable natural resources for the survival and development of human beings and other living organisms. However, these vital resources are degraded severely, disintegrating the ecosystem’s functions. The study discussed the present scenarios of soil and water resources and recommended good management options for a healthy ecosystem. Soil and water provide and ensure about 95% of food for over 8 billion global population. Per capita land is decreasing globally, while only 0.052 ha in Bangladesh. Globally, the total utilizable freshwater for ecosystems and humans is about 200,000 km3, which is <1% of the available freshwater. Intensive agriculture, mainly depending on inorganic fertilizers, ensured food for the ever-burgeoning global population. But such a production system has exerted massive pressure on arable lands. Organic matter content, the vital component of soil for influencing soil physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, has declined to an alarming level in most tropical and subtropical regions. Climate change further aggravated soil health and agriculture production, especially in vulnerable countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Somalia. Nonetheless, food production in the world needs to be increased by 60–110% in 2050 compared with the amounts in 2005–2007. Globally, it is a challenge to maintain higher food production from degraded soil and limited water supply. Considering the importance of the “4 per 1000 Initiative—Soils for Food Security and Climate” of the Climate Conference (COP21) in Paris in 2015, we must adopt a set of soil and crop management activities to ensure carbon sequestration and replenish our soils. As soil health is vital to the “one health” strategy, we must keep our soil alive and water green for a sustainable future. Our soils and lands need to be rejuvenated by supplying different organic-based amendments, while both soil and water should be well kept up, adopting conservation agriculture. Social awareness, the right policies, and proper government actions might augment the stakeholders’ implementation of soil and water management activities.