Soil erosion constitutes one of the main environmental and food security threats, derived from the loss of its productive capacity. With the help of remote sensing (RS), geographic information systems (GIS), and a revised version of the universal soil loss equation (RUSLE), this research has mostly focused on measuring the potential soil erosion hazard and soil water conservation ratio (SWCR) in the El-Minia region of Egypt. Based on the integration of S2A images and the digital elevation model (DEM), geomorphological units of the study area were identified. The RUSLE model includes parameters that allow for mapping soil erosion, such as rain erosivity, soil erodibility, slope length and steepness, soil cover and management, and soil conservation practices. The outcomes revealed that the classes of annual erosion rates of the study area are those of “slight erosion”, “low erosion”, “moderate erosion” and “moderately high erosion”, which represent percentages of 29%, 18%, 33% and 20%, respectively, of the total area. The rate of erosion decreases from east to west. The main erosion factors in the research area are the low vegetation cover and the high slope values. This study highlights the utility of combining the classic RUSLE equation with techniques such as remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS) as a basis for assessing current erosion conditions in arid environments and, specifically, for the application of soil management patterns aimed at increasing soil organic matter and any other soil conservation actions. The findings of this study can be used by policymakers to implement soil conservation measures if development projects are to proceed in areas with a high risk of soil erosion. The approach described here is therefore adaptable to similar environments in arid regions.

It is essential to assess the soil organic carbon pool (SOCP) in dry environments to apply appropriate management techniques that address sustainable development. A significant opportunity for sustaining agricultural output and reducing climate change is the storage of soil organic carbon in agricultural soil. The goal of this study was to measure the spatial variability of SOCP content, and determine the effects of soil texture, changes in land use, and land cover on SOCP in surface soil samples. The study additionally investigated the relationships between SOCP and other characteristics, including the normalized vegetation index (NDVI) and land surface temperature (LST), as well as the effects of increasing soil organic carbon on the amount of greenhouse gases. To accomplish this goal, 45 soil surface samples were collected to a depth of 30 cm at the Fayoum depression in Egypt, and analyzed. The soil samples were representative of various soil textures and land uses. The average SOCP concentration in cultivated regions is 32.1 and in bare soils it is 6.5 Mg ha⁻¹, with areas of 157,112.94 and 16,073.27 ha, respectively. According to variances in soil textures, sandy soils have the lowest SOCP (1.8 Mg ha⁻¹) and clay loam soils have the highest concentrations (49 Mg ha⁻¹). Additionally, fruit-growing regions have the greatest SOCP values and may therefore be better suited for carbon sequestration. The overall average SOCP showed 32.12 Mg C ha⁻¹ for cultivated areas. A rise in arable land was accompanied by a 112,870.09 Mg C rise in SOCP. With an increase in soil organic carbon, stored carbon dioxide emissions (greenhouse gases) would be reduced by 414,233.24 Mg CO₂. We should consider improving fertilization, irrigation methods, the use of the multiple cropping index, decreasing desertion rates, appropriate crop rotation, and crop variety selection. The research highlights the significance of expanding cultivated areas towards sustainable carbon sequestration and the climate-change-mitigation potential.