Innovative Soil Management Strategies for Sustainable Agriculture

Abstract

Agriculture has always resulted from available technology and the necessity to secure humanity’s food needs. In recent decades, a third factor has been recognized in this system—the environment. For centuries, a side effect of agricultural development has been environmental pollution and the uncontrolled use of natural resources. New legislation is being introduced worldwide to protect the environment and move towards a sustainable economy. An example is the EU Green Deal, aimed at making Europe the world’s first climate-neutral continent. An integral part of this strategy is sustainable agriculture, based on a balanced use of resources, recycling, ecological practices and the latest technological solutions. It is also important to change the perception of soil and recognize its pivotal role in agricultural development and ensuring food security. Soil is a non-renewable natural resource; without healthy soil, no sustainable agriculture can exist. For this reason, this paper summarizes recent trends in the development of sustainable agriculture from the perspective of soil management and conservation. It includes a summary of nanomaterial use, organic farming, soil health, precision agriculture, and threats and challenges to soil sustainability posed by climate change. We conclude that despite the rapid and extensive development of agricultural solutions striving to protect the environment and increase soil productivity, measures are still lacking that will allow agriculture to maintain adequate efficiency while fully protecting the environment, especially in developing countries.