Soils and Humans

Soils have been vital to humankind since time immemorial. They provide food, fiber, energy, and nutritional security. In Nepal, soils are intricately linked to cultures and traditions. However, in the recent decades, soil degradation and food shortages are also evident due to marginalization of agriculture, land use change, and out-migration of rural people. In this chapter, we explored different soil functions, and trends and repercussions of land cover change. We also outlined different soil and water quality issues resulting from heavy metals, organic pollutants, and pathogens, and provided brief recommendations to guide and improve soil health and quality.