The article discusses the economic impacts of salt-induced land degradation and the potential benefits of restoration. Salt-affected lands are a valuable resource, especially in areas with significant irrigation and drainage infrastructure. Previous studies show limited and variable estimates of the costs of salt-induced land degradation, with simple extrapolation suggesting a global annual cost of $27.3 billion due to lost crop production. Case studies highlight the economic and environmental benefits of remediation compared to no action. The findings indicate that investing in sustainable land management can be cost-effective in countries facing salt-induced land degradation. Such investments should be part of broader strategies for food security, including national action plans. These strategies are needed to identify and remove barriers to sustainable land management, including perverse subsidies. While reversing salt-induced land degradation takes several years, interim salinity management strategies can provide a pathway for effective remediation and showcase the importance of reversing land degradation. The article also presents case studies on the economic benefits of restoring salt-affected lands, including the use of phosphogypsum for magnesium-affected soils, phytoremediation with licorice, and planting multipurpose tree species on saline wastelands. The study shows that ameliorated fields yield significantly more than salt-affected ones, with economic returns doubling in some cases. The article concludes that reversing salt-induced land degradation is essential for economic and environmental sustainability, and that national action plans and supportive policies are needed to achieve this. The economic costs of salt-induced land degradation are significant, and the benefits of restoration are substantial, making it crucial to invest in sustainable land management practices.The article discusses the economic impacts of salt-induced land degradation and the potential benefits of restoration. Salt-affected lands are a valuable resource, especially in areas with significant irrigation and drainage infrastructure. Previous studies show limited and variable estimates of the costs of salt-induced land degradation, with simple extrapolation suggesting a global annual cost of $27.3 billion due to lost crop production. Case studies highlight the economic and environmental benefits of remediation compared to no action. The findings indicate that investing in sustainable land management can be cost-effective in countries facing salt-induced land degradation. Such investments should be part of broader strategies for food security, including national action plans. These strategies are needed to identify and remove barriers to sustainable land management, including perverse subsidies. While reversing salt-induced land degradation takes several years, interim salinity management strategies can provide a pathway for effective remediation and showcase the importance of reversing land degradation. The article also presents case studies on the economic benefits of restoring salt-affected lands, including the use of phosphogypsum for magnesium-affected soils, phytoremediation with licorice, and planting multipurpose tree species on saline wastelands. The study shows that ameliorated fields yield significantly more than salt-affected ones, with economic returns doubling in some cases. The article concludes that reversing salt-induced land degradation is essential for economic and environmental sustainability, and that national action plans and supportive policies are needed to achieve this. The economic costs of salt-induced land degradation are significant, and the benefits of restoration are substantial, making it crucial to invest in sustainable land management practices.