1. Soil erosion is a major environmental problem in Fiji.

The steep land topography and highly

erosive rainfall contribute to high natural rates of soil erosion. Other problems include :
compaction, nutrient imbalance, pollution, acidification, water logging, loss of soil biodiversity
and increasing salinity have been affecting soil across the globe, reducing its ability to support
plant life and so grow crops.
Climate change has a major impact on soil, and changes in land use and soil can either
accelerate or slow down climate change. Without healthier soils and a sustainable land and soil
management, we cannot tackle the climate crisis, produce enough food and adapt to a changing
climate. The answer might lie in preserving and restoring key ecosystems and letting nature
capture carbon from the atmosphere. The climate change will increase energy of destruction of
soil minerals resulting in simplification of mineral matrix due to accumulation of minerals
tolerant to weathering. It will lead loss of soil function for fertility maintenance and greater
dependence of on mineral fertilizers.
For example, as a result of this negligence the rich top soils from upper catchment areas and the
rich flood plains end up as silt deposits in the deltas of the major rivers in Fiji such as the Rewa,
Ba, Navua and Sigatoka rivers in Viti Levu and the Qawa river in Vanua Levu as a consequence of
soil erosion and floods.

2. Soil conservation is a set of farming techniques and practices to avoid degradation, erosion and
depletion in particular. Soil conservation methods target long-term use with a thought of the
future. By taking proper and timely actions, farmers boost the performance of their fields for the
years to come. By learning about a soil profile, we can gain valuable insight into soil fertility. As
the soil weathers and/or organic matter decomposes, the profile of the soil changes. For
instance, a highly weathered, infertile soil usually contains a light-colored layer in the subsurface
soil from which nutrients have leached away.