When we change how land is used, it doesn’t just impact on this one area. Italian trio Riccardo Scalenghe, Francesco Malucelli and Mario Catizzone examine soil matters in the Emilia-Romagna Plain, Italy, and help us understand what is truly lost when we loose soil without thinking about all the impacts. […]
The role of farming in climate change mitigation is controversial and fraught. The UN COP (Conference of Parties) Climate Change has tentatively introduced soil and carbon sequestration into its workings, via 4 pour 1000. However the role of particular agronomic practices involving livestock is under special scrutiny. Does livestock release more than it sequesters, or does the farming model matter? What about deep carbon storage? And how will policy makers work with new research and 4p1000? […]
As his opening contribution to #SoilMatters, Soil Scientist Mario Catizzone outlines some immutable soil facts, while introducing the UN FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines on Sustainable Soil Management […]
Soil Scientist Dr. Andrea Beste opens our #SoilMatters debate by telling us about humus, soil structures & the limits of no-till. […]
Relax and reflect over the holiday season – and see here for lots of ways to get involved with us for 2018 – from soil to AgTech, conservation tillage to farm hack – there are lots of topis to sink your teeth into with ARC for 2018. […]
There are some big and pressing topics in agri-food and for rural places. Some of these are ongoing – rural and farming depopulation, land access, agroecology, economic and ecological disparities in the Common Agricultural Policy – and others are new. So what’s new – and what’s worth covering in debate form? […]
Over 200,000 European Citizens have signed an ECI petition calling on the EU to protect its soil. What does this mean, and what might happen next? […]
The global food system has been operating in post-truth mode for decades. Having constructed food scarcity as a justification for a second Green Revolution, Big Agriculture now employs its unethical marketing tactics to selling farmers “climate-smart” agriculture in the form of soils, seeds and chemicals. […]
It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organised creatures. Which creatures – and who said this? Read on….. […]
As Earth Day approaches, it’s time to recommend some skin care for Mother Nature. Restoring soil fertility is one of humanity’s best options for making progress on three daunting challenges: Feeding everyone, weathering climate change and conserving biodiversity. […]
The aim of the 4pour1000 initiative (4per1000 in English) is to increase carbon in the soil by 0.04%. This could help halt the annual increase in Co2 in the atmosphere. The initiative is seeking expert comments on biological soil indicators by 15th March. Mario Cattizone has more […]
The earth beneath your feet is life giving. Today is world soil day so let’s explore the marvels of that more simple yet spectacular of things – dirt. Read on for a treasure trove of soil resources. […]
What happens when socially and ecologically engaged artists really focus on soil? And in so doing, bring different people – from across a wide spectrum – together to get to know that earth beneath their feet a little better? In one city in the UK – Bristol – they have done just that. Mario Catizzone tells us about it. […]
Two recent publications on Soil and Cities and on the effect of Roundup on soil microbiota show just how important and delicate that dirt beneath our feet is. […]
Europe needs – and is getting – itself some soil angels. Who are they? What do they do? And where do mud angels (!) come into it? Mario Catizzone explains […]
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