Soil health: research, practice and policy for a more regenerative agriculture

Drawing on academic literature and personal experience, the authors highlig ht trends emerging from sustainable agriculture efforts in developing count ries, involving research institutions, action agencies, and communities, to provide recommendations for advancing a soil health movement. They argue t hat multi-disciplinary and -institutional efforts on soil health that link research. practice, and political action will de needed for improved agricu lture and more promising futures. During this century soil research has concentrated on soil chemical and phy sical factors, with comparative neglect of biological factors. Consequently , there is relatively limited understanding of how best to capitalize on th e dynamics and potentials of soil biology so as to enhance the regenerative capacity of soil systems for agriculture. More agronomic research and empi rical experience for biologically-based agriculture are called for. Although better understanding and practices can serve immediate on-farm nee ds, they alone would unlikely achieve the desirable changes in farming syst ems. Policies and institutional arrangements profoundly influence agricultu ral research and practice, so effective soil health initiatives must also e ngage broader social and political considerations. In particular, the autho r's argue for greater balance in research and teaching to emphasize biology and ecology, enhanced linkages between research and extension, new inter-i nstitutional partnerships and collaboration, and increased stakeholder invo lvement in policy formulation and implementation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.