The contents of the 12 chapters of uneven quality comprising this volume bear only a passing resemblance to the title. Food security is defined in the preface but then largely abandoned as a topic in favour of crop production. There is little mention of soils as factors in livestock production, or their roles in shaping access to food, or in contributing to the nutritional quality of food or in determining food preferences. The two chapters on China concentrate on the use of chemical fertilizers to boost crop production and the consequences of inappropriate and over-use of nutrients. Surprisingly there is no mention of the contributions of soil biology and physical conditions to the fertility and health of China's soils. The chapter on Brazil explores the management of soil quality through the expansion of no-tillage practices over the past two decades with a detailed account of effects on soil organic matter. It concludes that no-tillage, pasture and reforestation are the best options for achieving sustainable soil use. Bill Payne's and Paul Vlek's chapters exploring land degradation and consequences for food security in sub-Saharan Africa are thoughtful and interesting explorations of the book's stated theme. I was struck by the statement that ‘approximately 65% of . . . unsustainable land management (in sub-Saharan Africa) goes unnoticed, as atmospheric fertilization is compensating some of the depletion processes’. So, there are real problems with the maintenance of soil health if we are to increase yields and production to the values that will be required by 2050.