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The task is to understand the importance of microorganisms in the soil, the processes for which they are essential, what is necessary to create a good environment for them, and then prepare and carry out a small action to get a group of farmers to follow practices that support beneficial microorganisms.
Time:
hours
Introduction:
Our soils have for decades been destroyed at an alarming rate. The main culprit has been industrial agriculture with its systematical destruction of life in the soil. When the soils are only fed chemical fertilizer and no or little organic material, the life in the soil eventually disappears. More and more fertilizer and pesticides are needed, contributing to this downward spiral.<br /> <br /> Clearing of forests, grassland and meadows to expand the agricultural area has also led to many more poor and degraded soils.<br /> <br /> Finally the more and more frequent fires do their part in making it impossible for many organisms to survive in the soils. The high temperatures during the fires kill organisms and destroy the soil structures, while also the organic material (which is food for the organisms) is burnt.<br /> <br /> So, for sure, rebuilding living and healthy soils is necessary, and there are actually many advantages in doing so.<br /> There is the question of loss of nutrients. Just a small country like Malawi is estimated to lose corresponding to several hundred million USD every year in fertilizer value from their agricultural land, as the nutrients are washed out of the soils and into rivers and lakes.<br /> <br /> Living soils reduce erosion and thus stop the degradation of soils that make more and more areas unsuitable for productive uses.<br /> <br /> Soils with a rich life of organisms also enable a richer life above ground. This diversity of mammals, birds and insects is also crucial for keeping down pests and diseases, which so often reduce agricultural production.<br /> <br /> There is also the question of local water resources, where rich, living soils play a crucial role. Poor, degraded soils hold much less water than a living soil full of humus and other organic material. This stored water can then be used by plants - for example to overcome a drought spell in the rainy season.<br /> <br /> On a larger scale, soils that are able to store water and have numerous holes made by roots, insects and worms contribute to maintain the groundwater levels and thereby water to streams and rivers.<br /> <br /> Even on the global level, the living soils play a huge role. Vast amounts of carbon were previously stored in the topsoils around the world. As industrial farming, forest degradation and bushfires have destroyed these topsoils, the carbon has been released into the atmosphere, where it contributes to Global Warming because the carbon now is in the form of CO2 - one of the main greenhouse gases heating up our planet.<br /> <br /> The world needs - actually requires - that farming is transformed into being an activity that not only produces food in the short run, but also in the long run by ensuring a living soil and by allowing for a healthy build-up of carbon in the soils, thus reducing instead of contributing to a warmer world.<br /> <br /> This task is, besides about the importance of the issue, about practically implementing an action to restore or improve life in soils. Here are some examples of such actions:<br /> Our soils have for decades been destroyed at an alarming rate. The main culprit has been industrial agriculture with its systematical destruction of life in the soil. When the soils are only fed chemical fertilizer and no or little organic material, the life in the soil eventually disappears. More and more fertilizer and pesticides are needed, contributing to this downward spiral.<br /> <br /> Clearing of forests, grassland and meadows to expand the agricultural area has also led to many more poor and degraded soils.<br /> <br /> Finally the more and more frequent fires do their part in making it impossible for many organisms to survive in the soils. The high temperatures during the fires kill organisms and destroy the soil structures, while also the organic material (which is food for the organisms) is burnt.<br /> <br /> So, for sure, rebuilding living and healthy soils is necessary, and there are actually many advantages in doing so.<br /> There is the question of loss of nutrients. Just a small country like Malawi is estimated to lose corresponding to several hundred million USD every year in fertilizer value from their agricultural land, as the nutrients are washed out of the soils and into rivers and lakes.<br /> <br /> Living soils reduce erosion and thus stop the degradation of soils that make more and more areas unsuitable for productive uses.<br /> <br /> Soils with a rich life of organisms also enable a richer life above ground. This diversity of mammals, birds and insects is also crucial for keeping down pests and diseases, which so often reduce agricultural production.<br /> <br /> There is also the question of local water resources, where rich, living soils play a crucial role. Poor, degraded soils hold much less water than a living soil full of humus and other organic material. This stored water can then be used by plants - for example to overcome a drought spell in the rainy season.<br /> <br /> On a larger scale, soils that are able to store water and have numerous holes made by roots, insects and worms contribute to maintain the groundwater levels and thereby water to streams and rivers.<br /> <br /> Even on the global level, the living soils play a huge role. Vast amounts of carbon were previously stored in the topsoils around the world. As industrial farming, forest degradation and bushfires have destroyed these topsoils, the carbon has been released into the atmosphere, where it contributes to Global Warming because the carbon now is in the form of CO2 - one of the main greenhouse gases heating up our planet.<br /> <br /> The world needs - actually requires - that farming is transformed into being an activity that not only produces food in the short run, but also in the long run by ensuring a living soil and by allowing for a healthy build-up of carbon in the soils, thus reducing instead of contributing to a warmer world.<br /> <br /> This task is, besides about the importance of the issue, about practically implementing an action to restore or improve life in soils. Here are some examples of such actions: <ul> <li>Start compost production</li> <li>Start vermicompost production</li> <li>Use cover crops as green manure that is left in the field, – also to reduce evaporation of water</li> <li>Plant leguminous trees in the fields, such as msangu, that drop nutritious leaves fertilizing the soil</li> <li>Plant trees and shrubs along the borders of the fields, to increase numbers of beneficial birds, mammals and insects, that can keep harmful pests down</li> <li>Reduce the amount of chemicals used, by starting production and use of bio pesticides, such as tephrosia, neem and others</li> <li>Make contour ditches or rows of vetiver grass to reduce soil erosion, and thereby loss of fertile topsoil</li> </ul> <p><br /> </p> <p><br /> <br /> </p>
Directive:
<ol> <li>Read the file " Basic Knowledge for Garden Farmers – A Living Environment"</li> <li>Make some posters (for use for your later People's Exam in Agriculture) on the importance of living soils, what happens when compost is produced, why this compost improves the soil and how to ensure an efficient compost production.</li> <li>Decide and list – for example by interviewing some farmers – what the main challenges are in rebuilding healthy soils in your area.</li> <li>Read the file Planning an action" and consider what you need with regards to the action you want to implement.</li> <li>Produce, together with a group of farmers interested in improving their soils, a plan in various steps of how these challenges can be overcome.</li> <li>Decide which of these steps to implement as part of your Small Action – and carry out the Action.</li> <li>Describe the main issues, activities and results of the Action and send to your tutor for evaluation.</li> </ol> <div> </div> <div>Files:</div> <div>F1. <u>Basic Knowledge for Garden Farmers</u> – A Living Environment, by Christian Fenger, course material, ISET/OWU, 2010</div> <div> </div> <div>F2. <u>Planning an Action,</u> Frontline Institute, course material ISET/OWU, 2012 </div> <div> </div> <div>F3. <u>Manage the fertility of soil</u>, Africa Organic Training Manual - by Eric Wayss, from africa.net/fileadmin/documents-africamanual/training-manual/chapter 02/Africa_Booklet_2.pdf, 2011</div> <div> </div> <div>F4. <u>Pest, Diseases and weeds</u>, Africa Organic Training Manual - by Eric Wayss, 2011, from africa.net/fileadmin/documents-africamanual/training-manual/ chapter 04 </div> <div> </div> <div>F5. <u>Soil fertility management for trainers</u>, Africa Organic Training Manual - by Eric Wayss, 2011, from africa.net/fileadmin/documents-africamanual/training-manual/ </div> <div> </div> <div>F6. <u>Healthy and productive soils, </u>by Christian Fenger, from 40 Green World Actions, Ch 3, 2006</div> <div> </div> <div>F7. <u>Sufficient and nutritious food</u>, by Christian Fenger, from 40 Green World Actions, Ch 4, 2006</div> <div> </div> <div>F8. <u>Improving tree cover</u>, by Christian Fenger, from 40 Green World Actions, Ch 7, 2006</div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <p> </p>
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Living Soil, fertility, tree cover, food, nutrition
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