In this episode, Shashi Kumar (CEO & Founder of Akshayakalpa Organic) walks with Nevin Thomas of the Good Food Movement through Devarakadu, an experimental project where Akshayakalpa is restoring land once ravaged by chemical farming. Together, they explore the science, history, and urgent importance of soil.
👉 How is soil formed?
Soil takes thousands of years to develop. Rocks break down slowly under wind, water, and temperature changes. Microbes, plants, and animals add organic matter, layer by layer, creating fertile soil. But while it takes centuries to form a few centimeters of topsoil, it can be destroyed in just a few years of poor farming.
👉 Why must we take care of soil?
Healthy soil is not just mud – it is alive. Billions of microorganisms interact with minerals, roots, water, and air to create the perfect balance for crops to grow. Without care, soil loses its fertility, turns hard, erodes, and eventually fails to support farming. Protecting soil means protecting food security.
👉 How has soil quality dropped over the years?
Overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has reduced soil organic carbon, disrupted microbial activity, and compacted soil structure. Today, many farmlands show declining yields, reduced resilience to droughts, and higher pest attacks – all linked to poor soil health.
👉 What’s the way forward?
Regenerative practices like crop rotation, cover cropping, composting, and reduced tillage can restore soil. Building back soil organic carbon improves fertility, stores water, and even captures atmospheric carbon – making it a climate solution. Farmers everywhere must see soil not as something to extract from, but as a resource to nurture.
Credit to : Good Food Movement
