Save Soil – Let's Make it Happen!

The foundation for life on earth:

Soil is the foundation for the food we eat, the air we breathe, and all life on earth. Healthy soil is the living organism that keeps us alive, but it's dying. 52% of agricultural soil is degraded, and one acre of fertile land is lost every second. At this pace, we will run out of soil in less than 60 years, and soil extinction is self-extinction. There is still hope if we act now to regenerate the foundation for life on earth.

"Take away organic matter from the soil, and you get sand. Add organic matter to sand, and you get soil," - SADHGURU

Improving the organic matter in sandy and degraded soil starts by improving the soil's water holding capacity. The soil's ability to retain water is the foundation for regenerating its vital life, and we must save our soil with a holistic approach. Soil water holding capacity?is the amount of water the soil can store for plants to use.?Field capacity?is the point where the soil water holding capacity has reached its maximum for the entire field. The field should be maintained at or near capacity for plants to utilize the stored water while ensuring minimal water loss to deep drainage and run-off. An essential factor for soil water holding capacity is soil texture. Soil consists of three particle sizes; sand, silt, and clay. Small particles like clay have larger surface area, which gives higher water holding capacity, and large particles like sand have smaller surface area. The water holding capacity for sandy soil is therefore low.

Even sandy and degraded soils, low on organic matter, can still be farmed, but challenges grow faster than crops. Productivity of the land, quality of the produce, and farming profitability diminish along with diminishing soil health.

It's time to act now

Farmers continue delaying the inevitable by increasing inputs, but time is running out. Simply adding more fertilizers, organic matter, and soil amendments while applying more and more irrigation water is not the solution. The problem is that less than 15% of the water applied remains available for plants when irrigating sandy and degraded soils, and most of the water is lost to deep drainage and run-off.

Irrigation water leaching through the ground and disappearing is only a tiny part of the problem. Despite growing water scarcity, many still pay little or nothing for water and continue applying more and more per acreage under cultivation. The bigger problem is that the water isn't just disappearing through the soil alone; fertilizers, organic matter, and other chemicals follow the water, leaching through to drainage systems and entering groundwater, lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Every wasted gallon of applied irrigation water depletes the soil inch by inch, leaving behind more trouble. Problems compound as increasing amounts of water and chemicals leach through the soil and enter water systems. More water adds more pressure on drainage systems and infrastructure. Increased leaching of chemicals from fertilizers and agricultural inputs pollutes water systems and adds pressure on water treatment facilities, which may result in rising costs for water.

The consequences for farmers reach way beyond potentially paying more per gallon of water. As soil degrades to sand and dust, more water is required to maintain production. Even if water is free, it comes at a cost. Pumps and irrigation systems require energy and resources, operation, and maintenance. Applying increasing amounts of expensive fertilizers, manure, compost, and other soil amendments also increases operational costs. Further, imagine the consequential loss of inputs driven by losing more than 85% of irrigation water to deep drainage and run-off.

Another factor often overlooked is the salinization impact of increasing irrigation and leaching. More pressure on wells and groundwater resources may lead to higher water salinity, and chemical leaching may jeopardize water quality. Further, saline irrigation water increases soil salinization. Even if the water salinity is low, soil salinization will gradually build up – and with more water applied, the faster it builds.

If we continue trying to delay the inevitable, it will soon be too late. But there is still hope if we act now. We must think big, start small, act fast, and unleash exponential scalability. You think big by deciding what your legacy will be. Start small and act fast by immediately addressing your soil's texture and ability to retain water, then use this as the foundation to save soil with a holistic approach. Unleash exponential scalability by joining the movement, use your success to inspire others, share your wisdom and attract others to join the movement.?

Solutions inspire hope – let's make it happen!

Investing in regenerating and saving soil has tremendous value. For every $1 spent on restoration, the UN calculates a return of between $7 and $30 in increased production and other benefits. The benefits go way beyond saving water, and succeeding is crucial to feeding a growing population.?

The world needs more food in the next 40 years than the total production of the last 500 years combined. This can be achieved by growing more food with significantly fewer inputs per unit while increasing the nutritional value per unit at the same time. With the nutritional value from one apple becoming equal to two or more, it starts to scale. Higher nutrient density means better quality, longer shelf-life, and less waste.

Growing more and better food with less cannot be achieved at the expense of nature. Soil is like a bank account; it requires a balance between deposits and withdrawals to remain healthy. Credit can postpone reality for a while, but the creditor will eventually demand payment with interests. Mother earth is our creditor, and it's time to settle the balance, starting with the foundation of soil.?

By investing in the foundation of soil, you will build an army of superheroes. A tiny teaspoon of healthy soil contains more living organisms than there are people on earth. These superheroes grow our food, clean our water, capture carbon, fight off soil diseases and pests, make micronutrients available for plants, and drive the entire circle of life.?

The outlook may seem dire considering the loss of one acre of fertile land every second, but solutions inspire hope - especially with an army of superheroes joining our movement.

We see barren land brought back to life, sand turned into soil that holds water, land reclaimed from desertification, restoration of biodiversity, and a growing movement dedicated to saving soil and transitioning to adaptive climate-smart and regenerative agriculture.?

We will succeed by treating soil not just as a bank account but as an asset to be passed on to future generations at an increased value!

Our youngest generation is Generation Z – the last letter of the alphabet. The legacy we pass on to them should not be Zoil extinction: Let's make it Re-Generation!

Now the final question:??

Let's Make it Happen!?

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