The Erosion Research Station at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is leading what it called a groundbreaking national initiative to classify and characterize Israeli soils according to Soil Taxonomy – the most common and leading soil classification method in the world.
Adopting the method, said the Ministry, will lead to improved farmers’ ability to better manage their lands, thereby helping to reduce soil degradation processes, including accelerated soil erosion, salinization and nitrification, loss of fertility, and improving soil health over time. The new classification method is expected to improve the ability of all state authorities to sustainably manage environmental resources in Israel.
Another notable advantage of adopting soil taxonomy is improved communication with the international community.
Soil is a natural resource essential to our existence and the existence of ecosystems, explained the Ministry. It is a living and dynamic system that supports all forms of life on Earth. It serves as a vital substrate for agriculture and infrastructure, contributes to the regulation of water flows through infiltration and filtration, and is a habitat for a wide variety of organisms and plants. Furthermore, soil plays a central role in the impacts of climate change, by sequestering carbon, regulating temperature, and maintaining species diversity.
Image - IDF