The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has released its first major global assessment of salt-affected soils in 50 years. The report shows that nearly 1.4 billion hectares of land are already impacted by salinity. This represents just over 10 percent of the total global land area. Excessive salinity reduces soil fertility and severely impacts environmental sustainability.
The affected area may increase to between 24 and 32 percent of the total land surface due to rising temperatures. Ten countries account for 70 percent of the world’s salt-affected soils. The climate crisis and inadequate agricultural practices are significant drivers of salinisation.
