Most people see soil as just the dirt under our feet. But to soil scientist Ronald Vargas, it is the fundamental building block of the entire food system and key to global food security.
If soil is not of good quality, with plenty of nutrients, the food it produces will lack proper nutritional value. Depleted soil also restricts farmers’ ability to increase their yields. About 95% of food is grown in soils, Vargas said, but decision-makers often lack awareness of the importance of its quality.
“Soils are very clear for a number of ecosystem services they provide. One of them, of course, is food security and nutrition, but also food safety because if we want to ensure you have healthy crops free of pathogens, full of nutrients, and free of contaminants, then the place to work is on soils,” Vargas told Devex.