Yes—on arable and intensively grazed land, erosion has been estimated to occur 100–1,000 times faster than natural background rates. That comparison comes from FAO and the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils’ 2015 assessment, not a new global erosion-to-soil-formation calculation in FAO’s 2026 report. The newer assessment adds a warning of its own: erosion management is poor or very poor in most of the regional assessments it reviewed.
What does the 2026 FAO report say about erosion?
FAO launched the Status of the World’s Soil Resources 2026 at UNCCD COP17 on 27 August 2026. It complements the first global assessment, published in 2015, and draws on scientific literature from 2015–2025 and expertise from 75 countries. The Global Soil Partnership describes a process involving 293 experts from 76 countries, 12 senior editors and 37 expert reviewers, organized into seven regional assessments. FAO Global Soil Partnership report overview.
In FAO’s 2026 launch release, 81% of assessments across seven regions judged erosion management poor or very poor, and 65% reported that erosion management had deteriorated since 2015. More broadly, 58% of reviewed regional and subregional assessments reported a deteriorating trend in sustainable soil management since 2015; around 10% reported improvement. These are findings about assessments’ reported conditions and trends, not a direct measurement of the share of the world’s land eroding. FAO’s 27 August 2026 release.
How fast does soil erode compared with how fast it forms?
FAO and the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils estimated in their 2015 report that erosion rates on arable or intensively grazed land can be 100–1,000 times natural background erosion rates. The same report said typical soil-formation rates are well below 1 tonne per hectare per year, with a median near 0.15 tonnes per hectare per year. These figures explain the headline’s mismatch: in affected agricultural settings, accelerated soil loss can greatly exceed natural replacement.
#1 Best Overall
- Premium Jute Construction: Our Soil Saver Erosion Control Fabric is made from premium-quality jute, a natural and biodegradable material renowned for its superior erosion control capabilities. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this 48-inch wide and 20-yard long fabric ensures a sturdy, reliable solution for preventing soil erosion.
- Extensive Coverage for Soil Protection: With a length of 20 yards, this roll of fabric covers an approximate area of 240 square feet, delivering extensive coverage for your landscape. It acts as a shield, safeguarding soil from erosion, reducing sedimentation, and mitigating the adverse impact of wind and water, ensuring the integrity of your landscape and garden areas.
- Environmentally Sustainable Solution: Harness the power of nature with our eco-friendly jute erosion control fabric. As a natural and biodegradable material, it promotes environmental sustainability by seamlessly integrating with the soil, enriching its quality, and eventually decomposing without leaving harmful residues.
- Versatile and Adaptable Design: The 48-inch width provides a versatile solution that can be easily tailored to your landscaping needs. Whether you're covering embankments, stabilizing slopes, or nurturing garden beds, the easy-to-cut design allows for seamless customization, adapting effortlessly to various terrains and shapes.
- User-Friendly Installation: Engineered for hassle-free installation, this erosion control fabric is user-friendly and straightforward to set up. Its manageable weight and pliability make it easy to handle and lay down, allowing for a quick and efficient application, reducing installation time and effort.
They are historical scientific context, not figures newly calculated by the 2026 assessment. The material in that assessment does not establish a new global ratio comparing erosion rates with soil-formation rates. FAO and ITPS, Status of the World’s Soil Resources: Main Report (2015).
What soil erosion is—and why it matters
Soil erosion is the accelerated removal of topsoil by water, wind or tillage. It also occurs naturally; the concern is that unsustainable human activities can speed it up. FAO’s soil-erosion key messages.
Rank #2
- Premium Quality Erosion Control: Constructed from high-grade jute material, our 48-inch wide Soil Saver Erosion Control Fabric is designed to provide superior soil stabilization and erosion prevention for your landscaping and gardening needs.
- Ample Coverage: With a generous length of 5 yards, this roll covers an approximate area of 60 square feet, offering extensive coverage to protect your soil from erosion, sediment control, and the damaging effects of wind and water.
- Natural and Eco-Friendly: Crafted from environmentally sustainable jute fibers, this erosion control fabric is biodegradable, promoting healthy soil quality while offering an eco-conscious solution for your landscaping and gardening projects.
- Easy Installation and Versatile Use: Easy to cut and shape, this fabric is adaptable to various terrains, making it ideal for slopes, embankments, gardens, and other landscaping applications. The user-friendly design ensures convenient installation and customization for your specific needs.
- Durable and Long-Lasting: Engineered to withstand weather conditions and resist UV degradation, this jute erosion control fabric ensures long-term effectiveness, providing reliable support for your soil and preventing erosion, while maintaining its integrity over time.
Topsoil holds much of the soil’s fertility and organic matter. As erosion removes it, rooting depth can shrink and nutrients and soil organic carbon can be depleted. Eroded or degraded soil may absorb less water, increasing runoff and leaving soils and communities more vulnerable to both floods and droughts. FAO Global Soil Partnership report overview.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which practices can help limit erosion?
FAO identifies reduced tillage, integrated nutrient management, crop diversification, cover crops, organic amendments and agroforestry as practices that can mitigate soil threats while sustaining or improving agricultural productivity. They are options to assess, not a universal recipe: suitable choices depend on environmental, climatic, economic and social conditions. FAO’s 27 August 2026 release; FAO Global Soil Partnership report overview.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #3
- Aspen Wood Fiber Blanket: Made from natural curled aspen wood excelsior with long fibers distributed evenly throughout the blanket to support soil retention on disturbed ground areas
- Single Net Construction: Features a photodegradable top net designed to hold fibers in place during installation on slopes, embankments, ditch bottoms, and grading sites or roadside drainage areas
- Supports Soil Stabilization: Helps reduce surface soil movement on areas affected by recent excavation, landscaping work, or drainage flow, offering temporary coverage while vegetation develops
- Green Dyed Surface: Dyed green for a more blended appearance in outdoor settings, giving a finished look on slopes, channels, and open soil areas during early project stages and initial seeding
- Coverage for Slopes and Banks: 4' x 112.5' roll sized for slopes, stream banks, drainage channels, roadway edges, and other areas requiring controlled ground coverage across extended lengths
For a farm, land manager or local program comparing approaches, useful questions include:
- What are the local soil and climate conditions?
- How steep is the land, and is it chiefly exposed to water or wind erosion?
- Which crops, rotations and production methods need to be accommodated?
- Which soil threat is the practice intended to address?
- Is there local evidence, and do farmers have the capacity and support to implement it?
This is a way to apply FAO’s emphasis on local conditions, not a ranking of practices. A cover crop, for example, should be selected for the relevant climate, soil and production system; FAO does not endorse a particular seed mix or brand.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 100% Biodegradable - The Material and Netting in this Blanket is 100% Biodegradable. Both the agricultural Wheat Straw and Coconut Fibers are 100% Biodegradable and they are held together by a Biodegradable Brown Poly Net that will biodegrade after 90 days. This product comes as a 7.5' Width for shipping purposes.
- 70% Straw - Our 100% Biodegradable Straw/Coconut Erosion Control Blankets are a temporary rolled erosion control product composed of 70% agricultural wheat straw.
- 30% Coconut Fiber - Our 100% Biodegradable Straw/Coconut Erosion Control Blankets are a temporary rolled erosion control product composed of 30% organic coconut fiber.
- Germination: Our Erosion Control Blankets also aid in the germination of newly planted seeds by shielding seeds from erosion and harsh weather which makes it easier for them to grow.
- Versatile: Erosion Control Blankets are very versatile as they are widely used on riverbeds, hills, culvert inlets and outfalls, and channel and ditch linings. They are great for construction projects as well as they are a contractors dream.
Rank #4
- Aspen Wood Fiber Blanket: Made from natural curled aspen wood excelsior with long fibers distributed evenly throughout the blanket to support soil retention on disturbed ground areas
- Single Net Construction: Features a photodegradable top net designed to hold fibers in place during installation on slopes, embankments, ditch bottoms, and grading sites or roadside drainage areas
- Supports Soil Stabilization: Helps reduce surface soil movement on areas affected by recent excavation, landscaping work, or drainage flow, offering temporary coverage while vegetation develops
- Green Dyed Surface: Dyed green for a more blended appearance in outdoor settings, giving a finished look on slopes, channels, and open soil areas during early project stages and initial seeding
- Coverage for Slopes and Banks: 4' x 112.5' roll sized for slopes, stream banks, drainage channels, roadway edges, and other areas requiring controlled ground coverage across extended lengths
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
