We need healthy soil to feed the world.

Healthy soil is a complete ecosystem of its own with macro and micro flora and fauna, including worms, microbes and fungi. This underground ecosystem is key to food security and sustainable food production. However, whilst the biodiversity crisis is increasingly in the news, the incredible world beneath our feet is rarely mentioned.

Food security has to be tackled if we’re to respond effectively to the climate crisis. Many places where we currently grow food will not sustain crops in the future. Not only that, farming, agriculture and food production all play a part in creating emissions that are fueling the climate crisis in the first place.

At this event, we’ll hear from a range of experts about the importance of soil biodiversity and its role in food security. Our speakers work across the globe on research, policy and implementation. They’ll cover the latest research, including how soil biodiversity-friendly agricultural techniques are already being used successfully. Speaker and panel as follows.

Panel chair:

Dr Ellie Harrison, The University of Sheffield. Ellie’s research is focused on the ecology and evolution of microbial communities, particularly in the interactions between bacteria and the mobile genetic elements that infect them.

Speakers:

Rosa Cuevas Corona, FAO Global Soil Partnership. Rosa is a soil scientist with extensive experience on soil organic carbon (SOC). She joined the GSP Secretariat in 2018 and coordinates projects related to carbon sequestration potential, SOC monitoring system and management. She serves as regional facilitator for the Latin America and the Caribbean Soil Partnership and the Latin American Soil Laboratory Network.

Dr Sunita Sangar, Independent Research Consultant. Sunita is an independent consultant with extensive experience in research, policy development and advocacy on agricultural innovation systems, technological and social change and women empowerment in India. She has worked with international organisations, the Government of India, and private/civil society organisations on training and capacity-building, policy development, programme implementation, and evaluation.

Zachary Barton, Kamala Foundation. Zachary is a permaculture designer, activist and teacher who has been living in Nepal since 2003. In 2005, he founded the Kamala Foundation—an organization committed to bringing the principles of permaculture to life and providing community-based programming to cultivate resilience and revitalize traditional and ecological ways of being. He established Almost Heaven Farms in 2013, where he researches, demonstrates, and trains local farmers and international visitors in permaculture design, earth-based building, and ecological restoration.

Join in before the event with our photo competition to be in with a chance of winning a £50 voucher. The theme for the competition is ‘What food do you like and where does it come from?’ Submit a photo of your favourite food along with a description of where you think the constituents of that food come from. The description should not be more than 30 words. The winner will be announced on 28th May at our online event “What lies beneath? The hidden world that feeds our planet“. (See the Grantham Centre webpage for more information here).