As much as 2,5 million South African’s experience hunger every day and about 20% of the population is considered to be food insecure. A linked concern is South Africa’s average predicted rate of soil loss being 12,6 tons per hectare per year. This is much higher than the natural rate of soil formation of less than 5 tons per hectare per year.
The loss of fertile soil directly influences the market prices of food commodities to account for the additional resources needed to grow food in the same volumes and quality. This unfortunately leaves many South Africans struggling to put food on the table.
World Soil Day is on 05 December 2024, BiobiN South Africa is highlighting the urgent need to prioritise soil conservation and regenerative agricultural practices, like composting, which will bring more stability to the food supply chain and market prices.
“Almost half of South Africa’s land is classified to be at risk of severe soil erosion. When topsoil is eroded, it can take up to 100 years regenerate to a point at which it can be used for food production again. Every year, Africa loses about 280 million tonnes of cereal crop from about 105 million hectares of cropland that is lost due to soil erosion,” says Brian Küsel, from BiobiN South Africa.
“To exacerbate the issue, climate change is becoming an increasing risk, and many farms are losing crops to more frequent extreme weather events, like flooding. Every retailer and agricultural company need to make soil conservation a priority.”
Luckily the organic waste stream presents a massive opportunity. Businesses should understand that the food and organic waste stream is a valuable secondary resource that has both economic and environmental value. Treating soil with compost not only enables farms and businesses to grow more nutritious food, but helps to rehabilitate the vital ecology within a soil body which includes microbial like, insects, nutrients and water content.
Often when farms are kept productive for many years, the soil quality significantly decreases through ploughing and extensive use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. This all disrupts the natural ecology of the soil. Introducing compost helps to facilitate the regrowth and beneficial microbes, which in the short and long term, is healthy for the soil. Compost will also increase the water retention of soil.
Composting technology has significantly improved over recent years, allowing more businesses to adopt this as a solution to process organic waste. BiobiN South Africa offers a versatile composting solution, with different vessel sizes and a mobile composting unit for businesses that produce lower volumes. BiobiN can also be used as a part of a centralised waste facility where multiple businesses can use the composting unit to dispose and process their organic waste. This model works well in office parks, retail centres and housing estates. With set-ups such as this, the compost is used on-site or in a nearby garden to restore the soil.
“More consumers are starting to put the pieces of the puzzles together, understanding that unsustainable agricultural practices that do not prioritise soil health will eventually lead to increase market prices and a reduction in food quality. Businesses in the agricultural, retail and hospitality sectors need to take a look at their organic waste stream and identify the best way to use this resource to safeguard the health of the soil that they use,” adds Küsel.
Over 95% of our food originates from soil and water. Sustainable soil management practices, such as minimum tillage, crop rotation, organic matter addition, and cover cropping not only improves but also and contributes to carbon sequestration, playing a crucial role in the fight against climate change.
To find out more about this BiobiN South Africa, visit www.biobin.co.za
