A framework of connections between soil and people can help improve sustainability of the food system and soil functions

Abstract

Globally soil quality and food security continue to decrease indicating that agriculture and the food system need to adapt. Improving connection to the soil by knowledge exchange can help achieve this. We propose a framework of three types of connections that allow the targeting of appropriate messages to different groups of people. Direct connection by, for example, handling soil develops soil awareness for management that can be fostered by farmers joining groups on soil-focused farming such as organic farming or no-till. Indirect connections between soil, food and ecosystem services can inform food choices and environmental awareness in the public and can be promoted by, for example, gardening, education and art. Temporal connection revealed from past usage of soil helps to bring awareness to policy workers of the need for the long-term preservation of soil quality for environmental conservation. The understanding of indirect and temporal connections can be helped by comparing them with the operations of the networks of soil organisms and porosity that sustain soil fertility and soil functions.

Regionalization and Partitioning of Soil Health Indicators for Nigeria Using Spatially Contiguous Clustering for Economic and Social-Cultural Developments

“…BD is commonly expressed as the ratio of the soil's dry weight to its corresponding volume (g/cm 3 ) [40]. Generally, BD has an average range of 1.1 g/cm 3 to 1.45 g/cm 3 . For optimal plant growth, the BD of sandy, silt, and clay soils should not exceed 1.60 g/cm 3 , 1.40 g/cm 3 , and 1.10 g/cm 3 , respectively.…”

“…Ball et al [3] highlighted the need for knowledge exchange regarding soil quality. According to the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International [4], soil health plays a major role in ensuring food security.…”

“…The connection between soil health and human engagement has been described in three different ways that allow the targeting of appropriate messages to different groups [3]. The first is known as the "direct connection," that provides soil awareness for management that can be facilitated by farmers joining soil-focused farming groups [3]. The second is the "indirect connection" between soil, food, and ecosystem and services that can influence food security.…”

“…The second is the "indirect connection" between soil, food, and ecosystem and services that can influence food security. According to Ball et al [3], the third type is the "temporal connection" which refers to the awareness among policy workers that long-term preservation of soil quality is required for environmental conservation. All three types of connections or levels of awareness are necessary for sustainable food production.…”

Development of the Concept of Agroecology in Europe: A Review

“…Global soil quality and food security continue declining, indicating that agriculture and the food system must be adapted [92]. To address the global challenges of food supply, biological and cultural diversity, climate change and social justice, there has been a continuous discussion between stakeholders about the future development of agricultural and food systems [93].…”