Effects of Soil and Water Conservation on Sustainable Agriculture

Dear Colleagues,

The continued growth of the world's population requires an increase in agricultural production, which, under the current challenges posed by climate change, requires a re-prioritization of the sustainability of the critical factors of agricultural production, i.e., soil and water. Agriculture affects and is affected by climate and its sustainability requires an in-depth investigation of the relationship between these inputs and climate change, as well as redesign of their management.

Soil is a non-renewable natural resource that is fundamental in agricultural production. It is the medium through which plants take up water and nutrients, which, through the catalyst of solar energy and their genetic characteristics, produce the variety of products that constitute the basis of Earth’s life. Water is the other equally crucial factor in agricultural production because through it and within it all the processes that allow the production of organic matter from inorganic components are carried out.

Today, these two natural resources, which are crucial for agricultural production, are under significant risks and pressures that require immediate decisions and measures to mitigate their continuing degradation. The soil is losing its productivity and, in extreme cases, is becoming desertified due to millennia of continuous and largely unsound management, with excessive intensification in their use and disregard for the mechanisms and conditions required to prevent degradation. Erosion by water and air, pollution, salinization, constant changes in its use, and sealing in favor of other uses are the main risk factors.

At the same time, due to climate change, water is often transformed from a basic source of life into an unrelenting danger through extreme floods and the disasters they cause or through scarcity, leading to extreme droughts and desertification, especially in arid and semi-arid regions of the planet. 

Managing these resources in ways that mitigate their degradation and contribute to agriculture’s sustainability is, therefore, vital for addressing the challenge of global food security through sustainable agriculture.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to add to current views on the significance of these important natural resources. It will also highlight new research data on the issues related to halting degradation and ensuring sustainable management, so that these resources can support the sustainability of agriculture and humanity.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

Α. Importance of soil and water in agricultural production:

• Soil as a medium of plant growth;
• Sustainable soil management;
• The importance of water in agricultural production;
• Increasing the efficiency of water use.

Β. Soil and water in the new climate context:

• Soil and climate change (soil as a reservoir and as a source of greenhouse gases);
• Climate change and water availability in agriculture (water-induced extreme weather events, floods, and droughts).

C. Soil and water management for the sustainability of agriculture:

• Sustainable soil management (addressing risks of soil degradation from erosion, organic matter reduction, pollution, salinization, and use of new technologies);
• Sustainable water management in agriculture (irrigated agriculture, dry farming, and new technologies in water use).

We look forward to receiving valuable contributions.

Dr. Christos Tsadilas
Dr. Eleftherios Evangelou
Guest Editors

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• soil management
• water use efficiency
• soil erosion
• soil fertility
• soil conservation
• agricultural production systems