Global food production at increased risk from excess salt in soil, UN report warns

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization warns that up to 1.4 billion hectares of land, 10% of the Earth's total, is currently impacted by excess salinity, severely threatening food production globally.

Excess salinity not only reduces soil fertility but also affects water uptake in plants significantly, turning fertile lands into barren spaces, which severely limits global food productivity.

Countries like China, the US, and Russia, along with regions such as Central Asia, account for about 70% of salt-affected soils globally, highlighting a significant agricultural challenge.

Climate change and unsustainable farming practices are accelerating the spread of salinity in soils, with projections suggesting that 25-33% of all land could be impacted by the century's end.

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