Soil is an essential resource for ecosystems, performing basic functions for the development of life on our planet. In Spain, almost half of our territory is used for agricultural or livestock purposes. The management practices involved in these activities are frequently carried out intensively or inappropriately, leading to a very worrying state of soil degradation.
It is estimated that in Andalusia, 40% of the agricultural land has erosion rates exceeding 50 tons per hectare per year [1]. One of the most widespread agricultural techniques is plowing, which has historically caused serious soil degradation problems due to its indiscriminate use. Overuse of plowing is responsible for serious problems such as the loss of soil organic matter (by accelerating its mineralization), subsurface soil compaction (reducing water infiltration capacity), and increased erosion, among others.
In this regard, good agricultural practices and soil conservation and regeneration techniques (such as no-till farming, reduced tillage, and the application of cover crops) are yielding excellent results in improving soil quality without reducing productivity. Experimental studies conducted in olive grove soils [2] have shown that between 60 and 80% of rainfall is lost by surface runoff in areas where plowing has been excessive and the soil is left bare, while establishing cover crops in these same areas reduces these losses to below 25% and can reduce soil erosion losses by more than 100 times.
Therefore, the application of restoration techniques through bioengineering and regenerative agriculture should be a priority in managing our agricultural soils. This requires the participation and involvement of all organizations, institutions, and society in general to conserve such a valuable and essential resource as soil.
[1] https://carcava.es/ (Universidad de Córdoba)
[2] https://www.eutromed.org/images/Folleto-Memoria%20TRAMCE_DEF.pdf (Diputación de Granada / Universidad de Granada)
PhD in Soil Science and Full Professor of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry at the University of Granada. Since 1998, he has conducted research on soil degradation and restoration. During this time, he has led and collaborated on numerous national and international research projects and has published more than 110 articles in high-impact scientific journals. In recent years, he has focused his work on teaching and promoting awareness of soil as a fundamental natural resource in national and international forums.