Healthy soils are crucial for food systems and climate protection. They contribute to over 90% of global food production, harbor about 30% of terrestrial biodiversity and absorb large amounts of CO2. However, approximately 65% of agricultural land in Africa is degraded, posing a significant threat to food security and livelihoods through unsustainable practices, land use change and climate change.
Initiatives such as the Soil Health Action Alliance and the Nairobi Declaration, which aim to reverse soil degradation and reclaim at least 30% of degraded soils by 2034, are critical steps towards restoring soil health.
Scaling market-based incentives such as soil organic carbon credits and Payments for Soil Health Services (SHS) is critical for large-scale restoration. These incentives can provide financial support for farmers to invest in soil health. However, further research and policy support are needed to optimize these efforts and provide additional benefits to smallholder farmers, including higher yields and improved adaptive capacity to climate change.
Panelists will discuss these topics with a focus on policy instruments, co-benefits and the expansion of market services for soil health.
