Governments, international organizations and the private sector endorse the IICA-Rattan Lal soil restoration initiative

San Jose, 8 December 2020 (IICA). Ministers and Secretaries of Agriculture, international funding organizations and representatives from the private sector and the scientific community expressed wholehearted support for the “Living Soils of the Americas” initiative, launched by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and Rattan Lal, the world’s leading authority on soil science.

The hemispheric initiative is the product of a partnership between IICA and Ohio State University, where Professor Lal—winner of the 2020 World Food Prize and co-laureate of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize—heads the Carbon Management and Sequestration Center (CMASC).

“Living Soils of the Americas” will serve as a bridge between science, governments and fieldwork to restore soil health in the American hemisphere. The launch took place at an event commemorating World Soil Day, which is celebrated on December 5 this year.

Speaking at the launch, Rattan Lal remarked that, “It is a privilege to partner and collaborate with IICA on this important project. We need to produce more, protect the environment and restore degraded soils. Thus, we are adopting an approach focusing on soil, in order to balance the need to ensure food and nutritional security with the need to restore the environment and mitigate global warming”.

Lal, who is an IICA Goodwill Ambassador, commented that, “We are going to introduce a second green revolution focusing on soil, to include small farmers in the Caribbean, for example. Our goal is to leave no farmer behind”. The initiative will coordinate public and private efforts in the fight against soil degradation, which threatens the capacity of countries to satisfy food demand sustainably.

Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA, maintained that the need to reverse soil degradation is, “a matter of urgency for our region”, while reflecting that “living soil” is vital for productivity, the income of producers, biodiversity and the well-being of rural and urban populations. 

“Living soil is nothing more than soil that has an adequate drainage and structural capacity and is soil that breathes and lives by way of its living organisms, while serving as a sink for greenhouse gas emissions. The soil gives back to those who treat it properly, by increasing productivity, as well as by providing ecosystem services and biodiversity. In short, it improves the well-being of the families that live on it”, said Otero.

Through the initiative, utilizing the best soil management approaches, technical cooperation will work with governments, international organizations, universities, the private sector and civil society organizations to contribute to slowing the land and agriculture degradation process that is depleting the organic matter in soils – a resource that is fundamental to life on the planet.

Mass participation

The launch ceremony saw the participation of ten countries, four international funding organizations, leading companies, producer associations, civil society representatives, as well as Ohio State University authorities.

The main concepts shared by the authorities of IICA member countries at the “Living Soils of the Americas” launch are outlined below.

Michael Pintard, Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources of The Bahamas: “Soil health is interconnected to plant health, animal health, food security and human health. They are all inextricably bound and indivisible. We must incentivize those who responsibly manage soils and sanction and/or punish those who abuse them. Despite the Caribbean’s relatively small contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, we are taking responsibility for our role, with laws and projects that assist in soil health and promote resilience. We hope to create more defenders of productive soils. I would like to congratulate IICA on this initiative to raise awareness, generate good practices to overcome challenges, and to strengthen partnerships with various sectors”.

Renato Alvarado, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica: “Costa Rica has focused on seeking to promote the sustainability of our farmers. They need to be profitable and financially viable to continue producing. We also need fair trade to ensure the success of our soil management efforts. The country is promoting Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) in livestock production, for the management of water resources and soil coverage. We also have NAMA in banana and rice production, to increase sustainability and bolster our efforts to adequately supply our major cities with food. I laud this program by IICA – an organization that is always at the forefront, modernizing our thinking and contributing new ideas, while aiming for a better future for our producers and the economic development of our countries”.

Alexis Jeffers, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources of St. Kitts and Nevis: “Most of the soil in our country is loamy sandy soil that has a low water-holding capacity.  Soils are important for our producers. Our main challenge is with greenhouse farmers who are more prone to use synthetic fertilizers. Soils with higher soil organic matter content are more capable of retaining water. I welcome this initiative”.

Julián Echazarreta, Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina: “Soil plays a key role in sustainable development. It is essential in tackling climate change, given its enormous carbon sequestration capacity. We must advance in our efforts to recarbonize soils and to support production practices that also reduce yield gaps. Soil is part of a country’s natural capital. Good agricultural practices, using proper rotation and management of soil coverage, are becoming widespread in Argentina, which clearly demonstrates that we are becoming more conscious of our actions. We believe that biotechnology and gene editing are also contributing. We congratulate IICA and Ohio State University for this initiative and endorse their efforts to ensure ideal soil conditions for future generations”.

Fernando Camargo, Secretary of Innovation, Rural Development and Irrigation at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supply of Brazil: “The issue of soil is one of particular interest to the Government of Brazil. Brazil is a net exporter. Our challenge today is to increase and improve our production. We need to do so sustainably, while caring for the natural environment. To this end, we will be restoring degraded pastures and improving soils. Knowledge about soils will enable us to venture into the realm of agriculture 4.0 or 5.0. We are conducting a survey to gain an in-depth understanding about our soil; it will be made available to everyone. I congratulate IICA on this initiative”.

Scott H. Hutchins, Deputy Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): “To be able to feed a growing population, we must intensify sustainable production. Healthy soils are the foundation for agriculture. It is important to have healthy soils filled with biological activity. The USDA works to contribute science-based studies related to sustainable intensification and science policy leadership. To overcome challenges, production must be ahead of the curve. Biotechnology can also afford many possibilities for soil health and conservation. For instance, zero tillage can be adapted to small-scale farms to increase sustainability”.

Javier Gracia-Garza, Special Advisor on Agriculture and Climate Change at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC): “I congratulate and thank IICA for launching this initiative. The Institute has shown leadership in addressing many pressing issues facing the planet, such as preserving soil health and tackling climate change and food insecurity. Much has been done to protect our soils, but much remains to be done. We must implement agricultural practices that preserve soils and restore degraded soils. Innovation is key to succeed in this regard. We must transform agricultural fields into innovation centers. Canada will collaborate with IICA on this initiative and others”.

Juan Gerardo Murillo, Director of Agricultural Science and Technology at the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock of Honduras: “Honduras will develop soil maps to recover from the impact of hurricanes Eta and Iota. We have been working very closely with IICA on basic grains such as beans. We have been able to maintain our harvests and reserves. I congratulate IICA on this important initiative”.

Camila Fernández, Ministerial Advisor on topics related to Climate Change and Forestry Resources at the Ministry of Agriculture of Chile: “The challenge is to guarantee food security and reduce poverty, while still protecting nature. Soils are the origin of everything. If we want to renew our relationship with soils, we must reverse poor practices, reclaim and regenerate, as well as incorporate more circular economy and soil conservation practices, such as zero tillage and precision agriculture”.

Statements by representatives of international funding agencies, the private sector, universities and civil society

Cathann A. Kress, Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at Ohio State University: “Soils, quite literally, are the foundation for the health of all creatures on the planet. We all look forward to this partnership. Soil, plant and animal health are indivisible”.

Julián Suárez Migliozzi, Vice-President of Sustainable Development at the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF): “I applaud IICA’s endeavor to constantly innovate. At CAF, we are profoundly convinced of the strategic importance of these initiatives, and you can always count on us as an ally to support them. CAF funds projects in Andean countries that seek to increase carbon sequestration, mitigation and sustainability. The stakeholders involved in these projects pursue a common goal and demonstrate that these countries are committed to protecting the land”.

Michael Morris, Lead Agriculture Economist and Acting Manager responsible for Agriculture and Food Global Practice at the World Bank: “I congratulate IICA on the launch of this initiative. Soils represent the most important capital asset for maintaining food security and preserving water. Investing in soils is a magnificent way to increase productivity, improve resilience and reduce emissions. Soils are a critical area of work that can drive vital transformations in agriculture”.

Pedro Martel, Division Chief of Environment, Rural Development and Disaster Risk Management at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB): “Science is advancing the dialogue and policy agenda. Soils afford a very valuable opportunity for carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation. Incorporating technological advances into agricultural practices does not mean giving up on productive and profitable agriculture. In our funding projects, we are including specific indicators related to impacts on soil health and quality. I recognize the leadership of IICA and Ohio State University in this area. We welcome this initiative with open arms and reiterate our eagerness to collaborate”.

Jyotsna Puri, Director of the Environment, Climate, Nutrition, Gender and Social Inclusion Division at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): “Having access to land and producing food is at the core of the activities carried out by rural populations. In Latin America, there is large-scale deforestation as a result of efforts to expand the agricultural frontier. That is why we are promoting projects related to agroforestry, zero tillage, organic agriculture and agroecology, which have been incorporated into IFAD’s portfolio of investment projects. We are proud to join IICA in this celebration and launch of the initiative”.

Natasha Santos, Vice-President of Bayer AG: “Improving soil health is crucial for sustainable agriculture. Bayer supports the efforts led by IICA and CMASC. The Americas have proven to be at the forefront of these efforts at the global level. Rattan Lal has compared soil health to a bank account: it is very important that we return part of what we withdraw from soils. At Bayer, we are committed to working together with farmers and other stakeholders to implement new approaches and achieve carbon neutrality”.

José Antonio Ysambert, Business Sustainability Head for Latin America at Syngenta: “I congratulate IICA and recognize its efforts in leading and advancing this initiative. I would also like to acknowledge Rattan Lal’s work in support of science and technology, with the aim of addressing one of the greatest challenges facing agriculture and food production systems in the world”.

José Luis Tedesco, President of the Argentine Association of Direct Sowing Producers (AAPRESID): “We carry out our work within the framework of the ‘always green’ concept. Direct sowing reduces erosion by 70%, water use by 70% and fossil fuel use by 60%. Full grass cover year-round captures carbon and increases soil fertility”.

Ruth Junkin, Deputy Regional Director, Catholic Relief Services: “I congratulate IICA and Ohio State University. Soils are part of our program to support projects that prevent sustained degradation”.

As part of the “Living Soils of the Americas” initiative, IICA, as an agricultural development specialist agency, tasked with protecting the well-being of rural populations in the Americas, will work with CMASC and their partners to provide support in areas such as policy formulation, land management practices and incentives to transform agricultural systems into ecosystems that capture more carbon in the soils. This will pave the way for implementation of the best management methods and development of public policies and regulations, with a view to restoring soil health and quality.

More information:

Institutional Communication Division of IICA.

comunicacion.institucional@iica.int