“Data suggests that if we do not restore global soil health, it is highly likely the consequences within 10 years will be many, many millions facing food and water insecurity,” British soil expert John Crawford said. An area of soil the size of a soccer pitch is eroded every five seconds, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says. While soil erosion occurs naturally, human activities such as intensive agriculture, deforestation and urban sprawl have significantly increased the rate at which it is happening. Whole Foods, the upscale US retailer that made its name selling organic food, has put “regenerative agriculture” — farming that focuses on soil health — at the top of its trends for this year. All the farms were showing very low organic matter, which is produced by decomposing plants and is key to good soil health.

Source: Taipei Times January 08, 2020 15:45 UTC