Healthy soil matters for our health – and the health of the planet
Just like us, soil is a living organism that needs air, water and essential nutrients to thrive. Healthy soil maintains water management, recycles nutrients, and plays a pivotal role in storing carbon, helping mitigate climate change. Soil health is the foundation for resilient crop production and sustainable farming. Without this wealth of biodiversity, we cannot feed the world and protect the planet.
Today around one third of agricultural soil is degraded, threatening food security. Soil erosion, biodiversity loss and pollution contribute to soil degradation. If soils are not replenished with nutrients removed during harvest, this will add to the problem. There is an urgent need to restore our soils.
Knowledge is the foundation for understanding soil
Balanced crop nutrition combined with good agricultural practices are crucial for the regeneration of our soils. Yara provides farmers with crop nutrition solutions, tools, services and knowledge to preserve and improve soil, helping grow a nature-positive food future.
“Our planet and humanity are basically supported by a 10-30 centimeter layer of soil, and it is our most precious resource.”
Balanced crop nutrition
Balanced crop nutrition together with good agricultural practices are crucial for the regeneration of our soils. Practices can include crop rotation, cover crops, reduced tillage and optimized nutrient applications using organic fertilizer and a balanced use of mineral fertilizers.
When fertilizers are applied to degraded soils and supported by a balanced crop nutrition program, the soil organic matter will increase. Analysis of more than a hundred long-term fertilizer trials shows that fertilized land has a higher soil organic matter content than unfertilized land. Land managed by supplying organic sources of nutrients, in addition to mineral sources, has the highest content of soil organic matter.
Has your soil had a health check?
Yara Analytical Services analyzes thousands of soil samples each year from all corners of the globe using indicators to measure soil fertility and soil health. Soil health assessment results are expressed as Yara’s Soil Health Score to allow for comparison and benchmarking, and ultimately to better define and monitor specific soil management practices.
Restoring carbon to the soil
With the launch of the Agoro Carbon Alliance, Yara is taking action on a global scale to reverse the effects of climate change by decarbonizing farming and restoring carbon to the world’s soil. The Agoro Carbon Alliance offers farmers expertise and support to sequester carbon in the soil and reduce emissions in the field, two crucial elements to increase soil health and mitigate climate change. This will enable us to reward farmers for climate-smart practices and help create new revenue streams for them.
