Soil degradation

One of the main focuses of sustainability is to preserve key resources.  Agriculture faces various challenges related to soil degradation through overplanting, overgrazing, clearing of natural vegetation to ensure that more agricultural development can occur, and much more. The SIZA Environmental Standard highlights soil as a key element and resource to the supplier and the agricultural environment in which they operate. Certain human activities can cause negative impacts on the environment, and one of those impacts a supplier can have is soil erosion. Soil erosion can be defined as the topsoil, the top layer of soil that is the most fertile, getting carried away by natural or human activities and causing environmental harm.

The health of natural ecosystems, including agricultural ecosystems, depends mainly on the way the land is used and the health of the soil. Soil health, also referred to as soil quality, is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans.