Soil security and food production

1. The University of Sydney.
19th – 20th Aug. 2015
Resetting the Australian Table
Adding value & adding
health
Soil security and food production
Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Australia
Dr Damien Field
Dept. Environmental Sciences

2. Soil Security
being concerned with the maintenance and improvement of the world's soil
resource to produce food, fibre and freshwater, contribute to energy and
climate sustainability, and maintain the biodiversity and the overall
protection of the ecosystem.
and
security is used in the same sense that it is used for food, water and energy.
2McBratney A.B., Field D.J., Koch A., 2014. The dimensions of soil security. Geoderma, 213, 203-213

3. Food production
3Keating et al., 2014. Food wedges. Framing the global food demand and supply challenge towards 2050. Global Food Security, 3, 125 – 132.
Contribution ~ 20 %
waste
consumption
balanced diet
Contribution ~ 34 %
resistance & biosecurity
degradation
climate change
Contribution ~ 46 %
increase land & water
reduce yield gaps
improved farming systems
increase genetic potential

4. Food production & soil’s contribution
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Reducing
Demand
Keating et al., 2014. Food wedges. Framing the global food demand and supply challenge towards 2050. Global Food Security, 3, 125 – 132.

5. Soil Security
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Recognise that there are seven functions of soil………
1. Biomass production
2. Regulating water, nutrients substances
3. Biodiversity pool
4. Cultural environment
5. Source raw materials
6. Carbon sink
7. Archive cultural heritage
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6. Multi-functional
› How can a sustainable production system (soil function 1)be developed
where groundwater and soil quality are protected (soil function 2), and
where biodiversity (soil function 3)and the organic carbon content (soil
function 6) are increased or at least maintained?
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Example multi functional question that is asked when considering food
security

7. Soil security
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To answer this questions we need to consider
Condition
Capability
Capability
Condition
Codification
Connectivity
Capital
Preference-based approaches Biophysical approaches
Valuation Use values Non-use values Resilience values Physical cost
Methods/
Tools/
Models
Market analysis Contingent valuation Regime shift analysis Embodied energy
Cost methods Contingent election Adaptive cycles Energy analysis
Production function Panarchies Material flow analysis
Hedonic pricing Risk analysis Input-Output analysis
Contingent valuation Ecological footprint
Replacement
cost method
Land-cover flow
Mitigation cost method
Avoided cost method
Bio-physical
Socio-Economic
McBratney A.B., Field D.J., Koch A., 2014. The dimensions of soil security. Geoderma, 213, 203-213

8. Capability
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What can this soil do?
Characterised as being multi-functional
Clay Content (%)
30 – 60 cm
Indicators
Geological time frames
Soil Depth
Texture
Clay Type (CEC)
Stoniness
Production?
Recreation &
Biodiversity?

9. Capability and biomass production
9Kidd, D. et al., 2015. Digital soil assessment of agricultural versatility, suitability and capital. Geoderma Regional, (in press)
If we focus on production, the
potential for expansion along with
irrigation then the question is;
What production options are
best suited?
Barley
Wheat
Linseed
Blueberries
Carrot
Carrot seed
Cherries
Hazelnuts
Olives
Onions
Potatoes
Raspberries
Strawberries
Indus. Hemp
Lucerne
Rye Grass
Poppies
Pyrethrum
Wine Grapes (x2)

10. Condition
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Condition
Manageable
Soil organic matter
Can the soil continue
to do this?
More intensive farming systems, closing the yield gap & climate change
% OC

11. The other three dimensions of soil security
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Socio-economic dimensions
Codification
Connectivity
Capital
Preference-based approaches Biophysical approaches
Valuation Use values Non-use values Resilience values Physical cost
Methods/
Tools/
Models
Market analysis Contingent valuation Regime shift analysis Embodied energy
Cost methods Contingent election Adaptive cycles Energy analysis
Production function Panarchies Material flow analysis
Hedonic pricing Risk analysis Input-Output analysis
Contingent valuation Ecological footprint
Replacement
cost method
Land-cover flow
Mitigation cost method
Avoided cost method

12. Capital
12Kidd, D. et al., 2015. Digital soil assessment of agricultural versatility, suitability and capital. Geoderma Regional, (in press)
Production (use) value
Indirect – gross margin
Indirect – water purification
flood mitigation
Bequest – biodiversity
avoid degradation
Existence – rare species
Other’s (non-use) value
Option Value – organic carbon

13. Connectivity
› ‘…if there is no connection to the soil then the soil itself will more than
likely be undervalued….increasing the risk of degradation’
Directly Connected
- Tenure – tenure/leasing, property use
- Knowledge & resources
Indirectly Connected (how much do I know or care?)
- Societal connection – terroir
- Social capital – private sector strategies
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14. Codification
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Public policy and private initiatives
o Public
Carrots or Sticks
o Private Role
Lollipops or Trolls
Public policy working with private initiatives

15. Key Message 1
› Food quality needs to be maintained or improved while at the same time
we are increase the production of food to meet the projected demand.
› This has to be achieved while at the same time reducing agriculture’s
environmental foot print.
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16. Key Message 2
› Assessing the soil capability to determine suitable land expansion
› Managing the soil’s condition to its capability, enabling intensification
› Optimising soil condition for productivity & close the yield gap
› Avoiding degradation on existing and new land
› Carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change
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Filling the production gap and sustaining productive capacity requires…..

17. Key Message 3
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Dimension Threats
Capability Erosion, landslides, sealing by infrastructure, source of raw
materials
Condition Contamination, loss of organic matter, compaction and
other physical land degradation, salinization, acidification
Capital Inadequate assessment of the soil asset, soil stock, and
processes that; support, regulate, degrade, and cultural
Connectivity Inadequate knowledge of land managers, lack of
recognition of soil services and soil goods by society
Codification Incomplete policy framework, inadequate or poorly
designed legislation, lack of certifications
The dimensions focus our thinking about soil & food security