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MRIDA, or soil in Hindi, is an application developed to estimate carbon sequestration potential. Photo: AS Rao, ICRISAT Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0)AS Rao, ICRISAT Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0)

A new soil app from India can teach you climate-smart agriculture

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Helping farmers and decision makers in developing climate-smart practices in soil management. That's the goal of MRIDA, the new app created in India to assess the carbon sequestration potential of different agricultural strategies
Australia is home to some of the driest soils in the world. Photo: Peripitus Own work, copyleft: Multi-license with GFDL and Creative Commons CC-BY-SA-2.5 and older versions (2.0 and 1.0)Peripitus Own work, copyleft: Multi-license with GFDL and Creative Commons CC-BY-SA-2.5 and older versions (2.0 and 1.0)

Australia set to establish a national soil database

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Starting from 2023, the new platform promoted by the government agency CSIRO will provide information on essential features such as climate change adaptation, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity
Sustainable agriculture made a crucial contribution to the development of the Maya society. Photo: Diego Delso Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)Diego Delso Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Sustainable agriculture was crucial for ancient Maya’s society

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Proper soil and agricultural management enabled the growth of settlements originating in southern Mexico in ancient times, environmental DNA study by U.S. researchers has found
By applying the technique on a large scale, researchers say, it would be possible to address the problem of global soil pollution. Photo: Marco Verch https://www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/51093188777 Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/Marco Verch https://www.flickr.com/photos/30478819@N08/51093188777 Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Australian researchers mimic plants to clean up soil

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Through solar-powered evaporators, the presence of heavy metals in soil can be significantly reduced. The solution, developed by the University of South Australia, could find application in other contexts and for other substances
By sending electricity from solar energy panels to a set of buried electrodes, it is possible to stimulate the reaction of soil bacteria. Photo: Antalexion Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)Antalexion Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Researchers believe microorganisms can help us store energy in the soil

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By using the action of microorganisms, it is possible to store energy in the soil, British researchers say. This solution could reduce the overall impact of traditional batteries. But for large-scale application we will still have to wait for some time
With the use of a spectrometer, drones allow effective mapping of soils inaccessible by land. Photo: David Rodriguez Martin Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)David Rodriguez Martin Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Drones open a new frontier in soil mapping

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Drones equipped with light spectrometers can map the ground and explore otherwise inaccessible areas, Dutch researchers have found. This application can also provide crucial data for soil protection and remediation
The application of agroecology principles in livestock farming may be a turning point for the sustainability of the UK food supply chain. Photo: Peter Standing Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)Peter Standing Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Meat can be sustainable thanks to agroecology

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According to the Soil Association in Edinburgh, the transition to agroecology in agriculture and livestock paves the way for a lower-impact production system. But extending the practice on a large scale requires a change in diet
The Madre de Dios region in the Peruvian Amazon hosts the community project supported by CESVI and Lavazza Foundation. Photo: Yoly Gutierrez/CIFOR Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)Yoly Gutierrez/CIFOR Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Amazon forest, a walnut can make a difference for local economy and climate change

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Supported by CESVI and the Lavazza Foundation, Peruvian indigenous communities are finding in the Amazon nut a new opportunity for empowerment. With positive impacts on the economy and the climate
With soaring fertiliser prices, British agriculture must adopt a new production model focused on protecting soil health. Photo: Walter Baxter / Preston Farm / Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)Walter Baxter / Preston Farm / Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Fertiliser crisis provides a boost to regenerative agriculture

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As fertiliser prices soar, British agriculture sector faces new risks as it remains too dependent on imports. More than 60 companies are now calling on the government to implement a transition plan to a new production model
According to estimates, Britain's small farms could receive a total public/private benefit of £3.1 billion per year. Photo: Colin Smith Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)Colin Smith Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Government incentives and carbon market may revive marginal farms in UK

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Farms located in the most marginal areas of the UK are less productive but they also manage soils with the greatest potential for carbon storage. One trait that can attract public and private funds