Co-auteur(s) : Albergel Jean , Migheli Quirico, Soubelet Hélène 

Caring for soil health can transform food systems

Soil health is the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem and a healthy soil sustains plants, animals, and humans, along with their associated microbiota. Bridging agricultural and soil science with policy, stakeholder priorities, and sustainable supply chain management, soil health is not merely a technical or environmental concern; it is a framework for reimagining sustainable food systems, from production and distribution to consumption. Rather than focusing on short-term productivity, the soil health paradigm challenges us to consider how food systems interact with ecosystems. These challenges lay the foundation for a systemic, regenerative, and inclusive framework that forces us to move beyond sectoral approaches and address the interconnected challenges of food security, ecosystem sustainability, and resilience to climate change.

This transformation begins with rethinking how we interact with soil, not as a resource to exploit, but as a living system that both shapes and is shaped by food systems.