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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
A nation that rebuilds its soils rebuilds itself- an engineer's perspective
Soil Security, Volume 7, Article 100060, Year 2022
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Description
Nations can build and rebuild degraded soils to help address climate change and potentially improve the nutritional content of food if we change policies that allow the addition of safe mineral and organic wastes to soil. We present a framework that facilitates the transition from intensive conventional to more regenerative farming practices by considering soil's natural cycle. Our paper is presented in three parts. Firstly, we consider that 'soil is living'; just like humans, the soil biome needs a balanced diet of macro and micronutrients as well as a nurturing environment. We simplify the soil science and take a systems approach which focuses on restoring soil's natural cycle to benefit both health (by increasing micronutrients in soil) and wealth (through climate change adaptation and mitigation). Secondly, we consider the scale of the problem of soil degradation and the timescales involved in rebuilding soils and barriers to implementation. Thirdly, we propose a potential framework which enables communities to identify what might be missing from soil's natural cycle. This framework helps communities consider how they might change soil texture by addition and manipulation of both minerals and organic matter. We present an educational tool, ‘soil in a jar’ based on a narrative of nurturing soil which is designed to engage and inspire society to get their hands dirty. Communities can use the framework to produce locally specific solutions to restore their soil's natural cycle and rebuild their local and national economies. © 2022 The Author(s)
Authors & Co-Authors
Johnson, Karen L.
United Kingdom, Durham
Durham University
Gray, Neil Duncan
United Kingdom, Newcastle
Newcastle University
Stone, Wendy
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Fitzsimons, Mark F.
United Kingdom, Plymouth
University of Plymouth
Clarke, Catherine Elaine
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Blake, Lynsay I.
United Kingdom, Durham
Durham University
Chivasa, Stephen
United Kingdom, Durham
Durham University
Mtambanengwe, Florence
Zimbabwe, Harare
University of Zimbabwe
Mapfumo, P.
Zimbabwe, Harare
University of Zimbabwe
Baker, Andy
Australia, Sydney
Unsw Sydney
Dominelli, Lena
United Kingdom, Stirling
University of Stirling
Neal, Andrew L.
United Kingdom, Harpenden
Rothamsted Research
Gwandu, Tariro
Zimbabwe, Harare
University of Zimbabwe
Statistics
Citations: 1
Authors: 13
Affiliations: 9
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.soisec.2022.100060
ISSN:
26670062
Research Areas
Environmental
Food Security
Study Design
Narrative Study
Study Approach
Qualitative