2026-05-04 · percent of global land soils

A third of soils are degraded

Erosion, compaction, and salinity shrink fertile land. Recovery takes centuries.

The ground under the world's food supply is thinning: about 33% of global land soils are moderately or severely degraded as of 2026, and FAO's newest global assessment warns the problem is worsening. Erosion is the most severe threat, with compaction and salinity shrinking fertile ground further. Since soil rebuilds over centuries, degradation today is a loss locked in for generations.

1 cell = 0.1 percent of global land soils (0.1% of land soils) · 1,000 cells

Context

The ~33% figure comes from FAO's Status of the World's Soil Resources assessment. It anchors the work of the Global Soil Partnership, an FAO-hosted coalition of governments and institutions that has coordinated sustainable soil management since 2012.

The latest global assessment finds soil erosion remains the most severe threat, while sustainable soil management practices are not being adopted fast enough. A report FAO presented at COP17 likewise warned that degradation is worsening as adoption of proven solutions lags.

The remaining 67% of soils are rated stable or improving. Keeping them that way — and restoring the rest — drives the partnership's agenda, from strengthening soil governance to harmonizing how soil health is mapped and monitored.

FAO Status of the World's Soil Resources ~33% degraded.