Black soils are carbon-rich and highly fertile soils known as the world's food basket due to the variability of crops they sustain. For decades, these fertile soils have been widely cultivated and have played a key role in global agricultural production of cereals, tuber crops, oilseed, pastures, and forage systems. In addition, black soils play an important role on climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, this black treasure is under threat. Because of land use change from natural grasslands to cropping systems, unsustainable management practices and excessive use of agrochemicals, most of the black soils have lost half of their soil organic carbon stocks and suffer from moderate to severe erosion processes, as well as nutrient imbalances, acidification, compaction and soil biodiversity loss.

Black soils are considered the food basket of the world.

Unfortunately, black soils are at great risk of severe degradation. This is why it has become crucial to develop a deeper understanding of the status of the black soils in the world including their distribution at national and global levels. During the second International Network of Black Soils (INBS) workshop in 2019, members discussed and agreed to develop a Global Black Soil Distribution Map (GBSmap) using a country-driven approach based on the endorsed definition of black soils. Two training sessions were organized in 2020-2021 to support INBS members in developing their national maps. Fourteen INBS countries subsequently developed and submitted their national black soil distribution maps.

There are an estimated 725 million hectares of black soils worldwide.

The Russian Federation has the largest area by far, followed by Kazakhstan and China. Black soil distribution strongly correlates with native prairie ecosystems including, but not limited to, other grassland ecosystems with a continental climate. Black soils are most prevalent in the mid-latitudes of North America, Eurasia, and South America. They are also found to a lesser extent in the tropical regions. At a global level, approximately one-third of black soils are covered with crops and another third by grasslands, with forests accounting for the remaining third. However, this distribution varies within each region.

FAO and its Global Soil Partnership are committed to the conservation and sustainable management of black soils and established the International Network of Black Soils. This report provides strategic information about the distribution, state and management of black soils and can guide decision-making regarding the sustainable management and conservation of black soils. One of the main recommendation of this report is the establishment of a global agreement for the sustainable management (for conservation, protection and production) of black soils.

Sustainable management of black soils contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly the SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (Zero hunger), along with other SDGs such as SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 15 (Land degradation neutrality), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). It is also aligned with the four betters of the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031: better production, better nutrition, better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.