Sustainable soil management in East, South and Southeast Asia

The 2030 Agenda was promulgated for the Sustainable Develop Goals (SDGs), which consist of 17 goals created to eradicate poverty and realize a more sustainable world. Among the goals, soil science can contribute significantly toward achieving zero hunger (#2), implementing climate action (#13), bettering life on land (#15), among others. Paddy fields are important sustainable agro-ecosystems for rice (Oryza sativa) production, and rice is the staple food for more than 2 billion people worldwide. Paddy rice is produced mainly in East, South, and Southeast Asia, in region with a monsoon climate. Paddy soils are unique, as they are mostly managed under waterlogged conditions during the rice-growing season. Nitrogen (N) is one of the most important nutrients for many crops, including rice. Some potential sustainable soil management methods are suggested to meet the SDGs, especially in paddy fields and wetlands in East, South, and Southeast Asia, based on current achievements, including N mineralization analysis, soil microbial analysis, and greenhouse gas measurements, to predict soil fertility and effective environmental management practices in the future. One such example of sustainable soil management practice is the amendment of silicate fertilizer produced from steel-making sludge that reduced methane emission from paddy fields (3%-50%) and increased the rice yield in Vietnam.

Automated summary

The 2030 Agenda aims to eradicate poverty and achieve a more sustainable world through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Soil science plays a crucial role in achieving the SDGs, especially in paddy fields and wetlands, by predicting soil fertility and effective environmental management practices through methods like nitrogen mineralization analysis, soil microbial analysis, and greenhouse gas measurements.