The Earth is losing tons of fertile soil each year. At this rate, all fertile soil will be gone quicker than we can ever imagine, unless farmers and communities convert to practices that restore and build soil organic matter, an essential component of soil fertility.
Many industrial agricultural practices are lethal to soil fertility, including deforestation and burning, and excessive use of toxic chemicals and synthetic fertilisers. We also know that one of the biggest soil disruptors and contributors to soil health is the practice of tilling.
Tilling is best described as a practice of agriculture where it contributes negatively to soil quality. It can fractures and disrupt the soil structure, accelerating runoff and erosion. It also reduces crop residue, which helps cushion forces, all of which result in poor water infiltration, leaving it dry, dust like and little to no organic matter or nutrients. Tilling also displaces and kills off the millions of microbes and insects that form healthy soil biology. The long-term use of deep tillage can convert healthy soil into a lifeless growing medium dependent on chemical inputs for productivity.
Farmers adopted the tilling method because it allowed them to plant more seeds while expending less effort. Unfortunately, in the long run, tilling does more damage as it loosens and removes any plant matter covering the soil, leaving it bare. Bare soil, especially soil that is deficient in rich organic matter, is more likely to be eroded by wind and water. Undisturbed soil resembles a sponge, held together by an intricate structure of different soil particles created by roots and organisms. When the soil is disturbed by tilling, its structure becomes less able to absorb and infiltrate water and nutrients.
Fortunately, a growing number of farmers realise the importance of preserving soil health by adopting no-till practices.
No-till practices allow the soil structure to stay intact and also protect the soil by leaving crop residue on the soil surface. Improved soil structure, increasing the soil’s ability to absorb water, which in turn reduces erosion and runoff and prevents pollution from entering nearby water sources. No-till practices also slow evaporation, which not only means better absorption of rainwater, but it also increases irrigation efficiency, ultimately leading to higher yields, especially during hot and dry weather.
Soil microorganisms, fungi and bacteria and critical to soil health and benefit from no-till practices. When soil is left undisturbed, beneficial soil organisms can establish their communities and feed off of the soil’s organic matter. A healthy soil biome is important for nutrient cycling and suppressing plant diseases. When soil organic matter improves, so does the soil’s internal structure—increasing the soil’s capacity to grow more nutrient-dense crops.
Organic no-till farming uses a variety of methods to manage weeds and reduce or eliminate tillage without resorting to the use of chemical herbicides. These methods include cover crops, crop rotation, free-range livestock and other mechanical means. Organic no-till farming on its own isn’t an all-cure solution to the soil crisis, however it’s one of the many important practices that move us toward a regenerative agriculture model that is better for human health and the environment.
Not only does this help with soil health and food but it also ladders into the conversation focused on the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We now know that healthy soils plays a vital role in helping to draw down carbon from the atmosphere and keep surfaces cooler.
Adopting regenerative agricultural practices across the globe could sequester global annual greenhouse gas emissions, and carbon dioxide.