CABI Blog

Every 5 December, we celebrate World Soil Day. This international observation raises awareness about the importance of healthy soil as the foundation for food security.

Healthy soil is crucial for farming because it supports plant growth and sustains essential nutrients. However, overuse, pollution and climate change are harming our soils. These threats can take a toll on food production. They can also harm biodiversity and natural ecosystems. World Soil Day encourages practices that improve soil. These include an integrated crop management approach to agriculture (ICM), use of natural pest control products and growing a wider variety of crops. The observance of the day reminds us that soil is a precious resource. It needs careful management to ensure its future productivity.

An important part of managing healthy soil is sharing soil health data. Accurate soil data helps farmers, and the people who support them, to improve soil health. Openly shared soil data supports those working in agriculture and enables them to create solutions that improve agricultural productivity. Working together using shared data is crucial for building sustainable food systems and reducing hunger.

In our blog, we have gathered stories published this year about our work on soil health and creating soil information services.

Our latest soil health blogs, news and resources

CABI joins continental level partnership to support development of African Soil Information Systems

CABI has joined a continental level partnership to support the development of Soil Information Systems (SISs) in Africa with the overall aim of helping to increase agricultural productivity, livelihoods and food and nutritional security through improving the usability of and access to soil data …

CABI launches framework for sustainable national soil information systems at Africa Food Systems Forum

CABI recently launched an innovative new online platform which showcases a framework for sustainable national soil information systems (SISs) …

CABI-led review of Soil Information Systems highlighted at Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit

A CABI-led review of national Soil Information Systems (SIS) in seven countries in Africa – as well as the USA, New Zealand, and Australia – has been highlighted at the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya …

CABI Academy launches two new free courses in water and soil management

The CABI Academy, an online learning platform that addresses a range of agricultural challenges faced by smallholder farmers around the world, has launched two new free short courses in water and soil management …

Farming Innovation Programme award to explore vital role of soil microbiomes and move towards greater sustainable agriculture in the UK

Today, Eagle Genomics, announces an award from DEFRA’s Farming Innovation Programme to explore – in partnership with Rothamsted Research and CABI – the vital role of soil microbiomes as part of a move towards greater sustainable agriculture and net zero food production to feed the planet’s growing population …

Data access project prompts creation of new data-sharing law in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, a lack of national policy for data sharing caused the agricultural authorities challenges in soil data collection …

For further information on soil health, see:

CABI Digital Library’s Soil Science Cases

CABI Academy’s course in Sustainable Soil Management Practices

For more details on CABI’s work regarding Integrated Crop Management (ICM) see here.