National Soil Strategy

Why soil is important

Soil, like air and water, is a fundamental need for life on earth. Soil is home to more than 25 per cent of our planet’s biodiversity and 95 per cent of the world’s food comes from soil.

Australia has some of the most stunning natural landscapes on the planet. We are also internationally renowned for our high-quality agriculture industry. However, the health of our soil continues to decline. Australian soil also faces many challenges, including erosion, acidification and salinisation.

Managing and preserving soil health are a critical part of a climate smart and sustainable agriculture industry. Soil is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and plays a role in resilience to natural disasters.

National Soil Strategy

The National Soil Strategy is Australia’s first national policy on soil. It was released in May 2021 and sets out how Australia will value, manage and improve our soil for the next 20 years.

The strategy’s 3 goals are:

1. prioritise soil health
2. empower soil innovation and stewards
3. strengthen soil knowledge and capability.

We identified these priorities through research, government policies and programs. We also consulted with governments, industry, researchers, farmers and other land managers across Australia.

Who oversees implementation of the National Soil Strategy

The National Soil Strategy Implementation Steering Committee (NSSISC) oversees implementation of the National Soil Strategy, by providing technical advice and recommendations to the department. The NSSISC promotes and drives forward the Strategy’s three main goals.

The NSSISC is also overseeing the implementation of the National Soil Action Plan.

NSSISC membership includes representatives from:

• The Australian Government:
  • Chair – Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
  • Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
  • Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
• State and territory Primary Industries/Environment government departments.
• Non-government bodies:
  • The Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils (Soil CRC)
  • Soil Science Australia
  • Meat and Livestock Australia
  • Grains Research and Development Corporation
  • Indigenous Carbon Industry Network
  • Natural Resource Management Regions Australia
  • National Farmers' Federation.

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