
IMPORTANCE OF SOIL TO FOOD PRODUCTION
Soil has a central role in food production, with over 95% of food produced globally depending on healthy soil. Maintaining nutrient-rich, biodiverse soil is vital to agriculture and building resilient food systems. Measures such as improving farm management practices, reducing soil disturbance, adopting crop rotation and optimizing nutrient use are key to good soil health. Smallholder farmers produce up to 80% of food consumed in Asia Pacific.

INTRODUCING HEALTHIER FARMING PRACTICES
To help farmers improve soil health and increase their crop yields, Syngenta has teamed up with non-profit organization, the Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals, to launch a program named SoilCare. The program supports farmers through outreach activities on soil health and the provision of comprehensive soil testing support. These efforts reduce tillage, weed growth and erosion, leading to healthier crop yields.

“Soil is a critical component for agricultural productivity. Our soil conservation program has helped 3000 farmers across 25 villages increase their soil health, productivity and land value,” says Dr KC Ravi, Head, Business Sustainability from Syngenta India. Helping farmers maintain healthy soils will also help ensure effective carbon sinks that contribute to reducing overall emissions from agriculture, says Chris Argent, Syngenta’s Head of Business Sustainability, APAC.

From soil tests to the applying of crop protection products and practising crop rotation, farmers across India have benefitted from this partnership and transformed their farming practices to better protect their soil.Find out more about how partnerships can help scale up these initiatives across India and beyond.