Soils are vital to our survival. They store greenhouse gases and water and are home to at least a quarter of all living creatures on earth. In Kenya over 40% of soils are affected by land degradation, high proportions are acidic and saline.
1. The soil is the MOST BIODIVERSE HABITAT on Earth. It is of immeasurable value and is vital for our survival
2. Healthy soils are key for CLIMATE action. They store more CARBON than forests do
3. Soils are NATURAL WATER RESERVOIRS. They help mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis, such as droughts, heavy rains, and floods
4. WORLDWIDE around ONE-THIRD of soils are DEGRADED. In Kenya over 40% of soils are affected by land degradation, high proportions are acidic and saline.
5. Only 20% of Kenya's land is arable, losing 26 tons of soil per hectare annually through EROSION.
6. Industrial agriculture often contributes to the LOSS OF FERTILE SOIL. Monocultures and the excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides harm soil life
7. A significant portion of scarce agricultural land is currently used to cultivate FEED FOR LIVESTOCK.
8. Declining nutrient levels in food, partly impacted by degraded soils, contributing to RISING MALNUTRITION and HIDDEN HUNGER.
9. There are AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES to protect and use soils more SUSTAINABLY. In Kenya, policies must support and strengthen their implementation through the recently launched National Agroecology Strategy as well as the Kenya Agricultural Soil Management Policy 2023.
10. ONE PERCENT of the world’s farms manage more than 70 PERCENT of agricultural land. For investors, soils are a lucrative investment. Instead, policies should treat soils as a COMMON GOOD
11. Land grabs are on the rise in the name of climate action, often displacing Indigenous Peoples and local communities. PROTECTING LAND RIGHTS must therefore be an integral part of future climate policy
12. Between 2012 and 2023, more than 2,100 people were killed in land conflicts. PROTECTING people’s HUMAN RIGHTS help ensure people are not murdered and can stay on their land
This infographic was published as part of the Soil Atlas Kenya Edition 2025. You can download a copy here