Small-holder farmers (SHF) in the Global South face low – and, in the face of climate change, declining – yields. The core driver of SHF underproductivity is soil degradation; said differently, to improve SHF livelihoods, we must improve the fertility of their soils. There are three key
levers for healthy soils: (i) soil acidity, (ii) fertilizer application, and (iii) regenerative farming practices. All three levers need to be addressed in concert, or the impact on soil health (and in turn yield) will be diminished. For example, crops in acidic soils are not able to effectively absorb nutrients from fertilizers; diminishing the ROI on fertilizer application for the farmer. Climate- smart interventions exist to address each of these levers, with the potential to finance them through carbon and climate finance linked to carbon sequestration and resilience: (i) Enhanced Rock Weathering can address acidity, (ii) green or organic fertiliser blended with biochar can address fertiliser application, and (iii) context-specific practices (such as agroforestry) can retain soil health levels, limit soil erosion, and optimise the productivity of healthy soils.

This session will showcase leading solutions linked to each of the soil health levers – and explore how, from a finance and program design perspective, we might be able to bring these solutions together under a soil health package accessible to SHF at scale.