Better Soils for Resilient Agricultural Production

Abstract

Agriculture plays a pivotal role in improving food security and reducing poverty in Africa, as well as in promoting climate change mitigation and adaptation and general progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the agricultural sector employs 70% of the population and is estimated to contribute roughly 15% to GDP. But changing climate conditions and poor agricultural practices lead to soil degradation of up to 65% of agricultural lands in SSA, threatening food security. The “betterSoil” concept is a holistic and systemic approach that stresses the whole, considers essential regional aspects to link economic prosperity and sustainable agricultural practices, and addresses climate change. Its four simple principles – soil management, compost, biochar, and agroforestry – can unlock the potential of soils to restore soil organic matter, to protect soil fertility and biodiversity, and to sequester CO2 for the future build-up of humus in agricultural soils. Better soils can promote economic growth and development, especially in low-income countries hit hardest by climate change. Its four principles support the introduction of climate-positive practices that can be implemented anywhere. To harvest the benefits of large-scale soil improvement, farmers, governments, the African Union, individuals, the private sector, and practitioners must work together to bring theory on better soils into practice.