Soil is a dynamic system and a source of many renewable resources. It performs numerous vital functions for ecosystems. Soil is essential for growing food, animal feed, fiber, oilseed, energy crops, and many other useful plants. Plants, whether trees, shrubs, or other vegetation, depend on the nutrients and water contained in the soil. Soil is also a habitat for many animals and organisms; in fact, it can be said that more than half of the world’s biodiversity is found in the soil. The growth of the global population requires the wise and sustainable use of renewable resources.
Soil is one of the primary and most essential means of production in agriculture, through which plants are supplied with water and dissolved minerals, as well as various nutrients. Article 11 of the Law of Georgia on Soil Protection (1994), adopted on May 12, 1994, defines soil as the loose upper layer of the Earth formed through the interaction of rocks, climate, the biosphere, relief, age, and human economic activity. The Law of Georgia on Soil Conservation and Restoration-Improvement of Fertility (2003) further defines soil as the upper, loose, and fertile layer of the Earth, resulting from the long-term interaction of soil-forming factors. The use of sustainable practices and approaches is a key prerequisite for maintaining soil fertility. According to the World Atlas of Desertification prepared by the European Commission, more than 80 percent of the Earth’s land area is already undergoing degradation, and projections suggest that by 2050 this figure could approach 90 percent. In response to this global challenge, the United Nations adopted the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 1994. Under this convention, 122 countries, including Georgia, have committed to working toward national targets for achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).
Soil degradation is driven both by natural factors, such as terrain characteristics, climatic conditions, limited vegetation cover, and soil composition, and by human activities. These include various forms of erosion, soil contamination, secondary waterlogging, and salinization. Significant impacts also result from open-pit extraction of mineral resources and construction materials, unsustainable agricultural practices, and improper pasture management.
In Georgia, soil protection is generally regulated without a single comprehensive law and instead relies on several key legal acts. The Constitution of Georgia defines land and other natural resources as assets of national importance and obliges the state to ensure their protection and rational use. Despite this, soil quality in Georgia has been gradually deteriorating.
Soil protection is addressed in detail in the Law of Georgia on Environmental Protection (1997), which includes provisions on preventing land pollution and degradation, as well as principles for sustainable use. The Land Code of Georgia regulates the designated use of agricultural land and establishes the responsibility of landowners to maintain soil fertility. Meanwhile, the Law of Georgia on Soil Protection (1994) focuses specifically on preserving and restoring soil quality.
This framework is complemented by the Law of Georgia on Pesticides and Agrochemicals (1998), which restricts the improper use of chemical substances and protects soil from contamination, as well as the Environmental
Impact Assessment Code of Georgia (2017), which ensures that certain activities are assessed in advance for their potential negative impact on soil.
Despite this extensive legislative framework, soil degradation remains one of the most pressing environmental challenges in Georgia, significantly affecting agricultural productivity. The issue is complex, as there are many different factors contributing to soil degradation in the country:
Ineffective Performance of the Responsible Authority In Georgia, there is a state institution, the National Agency for Sustainable Land Management and Land Use Monitoring, whose direct responsibilities include maintaining records of agricultural land resources and creating a unified database of land information. The agency is also tasked with regulating and coordinating the management of the fertile soil layer, conducting systematic soil monitoring, and ensuring the protection of soil fertility. In addition, it coordinates measures aimed at combating desertification and land degradation and improving soil fertility. Despite the fact that this agency is funded from the state budget, tangible progress in the area of sustainable land management has remained limited.
Unclear Responsibility for Land Ownership
Most of the land in Georgia is owned by the state, including approximately two-thirds of registered agricultural land (World Bank, 2022), which in practice often means that these lands receive insufficient care and management.
Transition from Agriculture to Land Ownership
A large share of owners of the remaining registered one-third of agricultural land are no longer engaged in farming (due to urbanization, moving to other sectors, or emigration). As a result, these lands are either abandoned or used temporarily by others for short-term benefits.
Landowners Focused on Short-Term Gains
Often, people cultivate land they do not own with a focus only on a single season, neglecting long-term investments such as improving soil with organic matter, proper agrotechnical practices, installing irrigation systems, implementing crop rotation and cover crops in production plans, and protecting or fencing the land.
Soil Burdened by Buildings and Infrastructure
Only about 11% of the country’s land fund consists of proper arable land. However, roads, buildings, and urban development are constructed on these fertile areas, particularly around Tbilisi and other urban or logistical centers.
Irreversible Loss of Fertile Land
Infrastructure development and urbanization lead to the loss of land that is most valuable for food production.
The Law of Georgia on Soil Protection states that soil protection is a state-level issue, because the proper and rational use of all types of soil in Georgia, including poor, saline, waterlogged, sodic, acidic, and highly moist soils, is a key reserve for the dynamic development of agriculture and the national economy. As in many other
areas, putting this law into practice and enforcing it remains a challenge. As a result, despite farmers’ efforts and financial investments, soil productivity remains low.
Authors : Nino Jibuti & Ilia Kunchulia
