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 the erosion of soil. To define soil erosion, one can explain it 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 audit can objectively evaluate how suppliers manage their soil by reviewing structured management systems aimed at reducing environmental risks. This auditing process involves checking the following:
- Whether a farm has a comprehensive soil management plan incorporating erosion control measures, soil conservation strategies, and routine monitoring.
- A risk assessment should also be implemented to identify high and low risks associated with suppliers’ activities or natural factors that could cause soil erosion.
- A competent third party should also analyse soil tests to evaluate soil quality and determine if it declines over time. One of the primary indicators of soil health is Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), and its condition must be reported. Furthermore, soil maps should ideally reflect soil types and areas at high risk of soil degradation that can lead to soil erosion.
A visual assessment must also be done before an objective opinion can be reported. Key elements to look at to spot signs of soil erosion:
- Is tillage done only when necessary?
- Do they make use of mulching or cover cropping?
- Is soil moisture being monitored and regulated?
- Soil structure is also a key indicator of soil health.
In conclusion, soil provides life to crops, develops nutrients, ensures proper water retaining capacity, helps regulate the climate, traps carbon that gives us clean air, and, above and beyond all, provides us with life. Soil erosion poses a significant threat to both agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. Implementing structured management systems, conducting risk assessments, and getting expert evaluations that help identify potential risks can promote soil erosion prevention. Monitoring key indicators such as Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), soil structure, and moisture levels further supports sustainable farming practices. These elements can provide a third-party assessor with enough information to form an objective opinion about a supplier’s soil management and if soil erosion is prevented.
