Soils are highly variable due to differences in local geography, topography, climate vegetation and management. Greater understanding is needed to fine tune practices relating to soil health and management. Soil requirements also differ according to the type of land use and crop specificities. The science surrounding this is either lacking or needs to be compiled and translated into business-digestible material.
What can businesses do?
Businesses should adopt a holistic way of considering soil-related challenges through a natural capital lens as a first step towards acknowledging the importance of scientific research. Businesses need to work together to review existing data and co-ordinate new research to understand how their commodities impact upon natural capital and what interventions are most appropriate to their situation. Lack of an international governing body to support co-ordinated global action on the management of soils implies a low focus on soil policy.
