World Soil Day, highlighting the importance of healthy soils for food security and ecosystems, is celebrated worldwide on which of the following dates?

Introduction / Context:
World Soil Day is an environmental observance that aims to raise awareness about the vital role of soil in agriculture, ecosystems, and climate regulation. Healthy soils are essential for food security and sustainable development. This question tests whether you know the exact date on which World Soil Day is celebrated each year.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The observance is World Soil Day.
• The options are 26 July, 30 June, 9 August, and 5 December.
• We must identify which date is officially designated as World Soil Day.

Concept / Approach:
The United Nations General Assembly and the Food and Agriculture Organization observe World Soil Day on 5 December. The date was chosen to honour the birthday of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was a strong supporter of soil science and sustainable farming. None of the other dates in the options correspond to this specific global observance, so we rely on direct recall of the date 5 December.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the observance: World Soil Day, related to soil conservation and sustainable land use. Step 2: Recall that the UN and FAO have fixed World Soil Day on 5 December each year. Step 3: Compare this with the available options: 26 July, 30 June, 9 August, and 5 December. Step 4: Confirm that 5 December exactly matches the known date. Step 5: Recognise that 26 July, 30 June, and 9 August are not linked with this specific soil-related observance in standard GK lists. Step 6: Select 5 December as the correct option.

Verification / Alternative check:
Looking at the United Nations observances list or the FAO World Soil Day page confirms that 5 December is World Soil Day. Many agricultural universities and environmental organisations conduct seminars, soil testing camps, and awareness drives on this date, reinforcing its importance and providing further confirmation for exam preparation.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
July 26: Not associated with World Soil Day in international calendars and used only as a distractor.
June 30: Has no official global link to this soil-related observance.
August 9: Used for other events in some countries but not for World Soil Day.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students confuse World Soil Day with other environmental observances like World Environment Day (5 June) or Earth Day (22 April). A good mnemonic is that soil, being linked to agriculture and land, gets its own day at the year's end on 5 December, separate from the mid-year environment dates.

Final Answer:
Therefore, World Soil Day is celebrated worldwide on December 5.