Business activities are vulnerable as they rely upon soil …

…as soil texture and structure define yield quantity and quality

The structure of soil is one of the parameters that defines land suitability for industrial or agricultural operations. Soil structure affects water quality, water-holding capacity and vital chemical energy flows with spaces among soil particles providing oxygen to plant cells that can breakdown sugars and release energy necessary for growth. Soil also insulates roots from temperature fluctuations. Soil texture and structure are critical to maintain yield quantity and quality and to therefore uphold entire supply chains.

…as soil nutrition is necessary for plentiful and high-quality harvests

Nutritious soils promote plant growth and dispersal by providing essential macro- and micro-nutrients to their roots. Soil pH regulates the availability of nutrients while living soil organisms and decomposed organic matter are needed for biological nutrient cycling. Soil moisture and minerals promote seed germination and seedling survival and vigour. The quality and marketability of products depend upon nutritious soil, business supply chains can be significantly altered by soil nutrition characteristics in terms of the sourcing location of raw materials and quality of raw materials.

…as soil biodiversity plays an important role in maintaining productivity

The number and variety of species in the soil, from micro-habitats to landscapes, play a multitude of critical roles including maintaining soil structure, regulating nutrient flows, detoxification and biological pest control. Similarly to soil structure and soil nutrition, soil biodiversity demands business interest and concern as it can dictate soil productivity and therefore raw material production and supply chain security.