UK soil health is national security risk at times of conflict, campaigners say

Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East mean farmers are exposed to erratic grain and fertiliser prices, as well as increased energy costs.

Campaign group Save Soil has said that regenerative farming practices, focused on soil health, can help reduce the exposure to international supply chains that can be affected by global conflict.

Rico Rau, research consultant at Save Soil, said: “The health of our soil is no longer just an environmental concern; it is a vital pillar of national security.

“With Ukraine producing 10 per cent of global wheat, the UK’s reliance on volatile supply chains is a profound vulnerability and has been exposed before.

“This new conflict in Iran will only stress those supply chains even further. By transitioning to regenerative farming practices, the UK can restore the soil’s ability to provide nutrient-dense food without relying heavily on oil-based fertilizers and foreign crops; decoupling the food system from overseas conflict and fluctuating energy prices.

“We must treat soil restoration as an urgent strategic priority, and this will ensure that the UK’s food security is not at the mercy of global crises.”

At the same time, Yorkshire farmers have been hit by both drought and flooding in the last 12 months, a double-whammy for the horticulture sector.

The campaigners believe that improving soil health can help with water runoff and reduce the damage of flooding.

Sadhguru, the world-famous yogi at the centre of the soil movement, added: “Whether you want to fix or reverse climate change, or do carbon sequestration, or limit the temperatures rising in the world, or resolve water scarcity, we need to fix the soil.

“Soil is a very significant carbon sink and the largest water soak on the planet.

“If soil is rich, there will be water. If soil is rich and there is enough vegetation on it, the air will be purified. So, our attention has to shift to soil.

“If we act now and initiate the necessary policy changes, we can make a vital turnaround in soil health in the next decade.

“This is both a challenge and a privilege. Let ours be the generation that acted responsibly and rescued the planet from its wanton and tragic project of self-sabotage.”