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FEATURE

SOIL CONSERVATION

FOR FOOD SECURITY

Approximately 2.5 million South Africans 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 five tons per
hectare per year.

he loss of fertile soil directly influences the market prices of food
commodities to account for the additional resources needed to
Tgrow food in the same volumes and quality. This unfortunately
leaves many South Africans struggling to put food on the table.
World Soil Day took place on 5 December 2024, when BiobiN South
Africa highlighted the urgent need to prioritise soil conservation and
regenerative agricultural practices such as 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 to
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 of 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 such as flooding. All retailers
and agricultural companies need to make soil conservation a priority.”
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 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 puzzle together,
understanding that unsustainable agricultural practices that do not
prioritise soil health will eventually lead to increased 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.
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
contributes to carbon sequestration, playing a crucial role in the fight
against climate change.
www.biobin.co.za n

12 Landscape SA • Issue 145 2025 Check us out www.salandscape.co.za