The dying of soil – the problem has been raised globally

As early as 2014, the UN has been raising the alarm about the degradation and death of soil. The problem is on a global scale. If the once fertile fields that have today turned into desert were gathered in one place, they would be the size of Greece, and the process is continuing and this area is increasing. Half of the planet’s topsoil has been lost over the last 150 years. According to UN data, we have soil left for only 60 years. After that there will not be enough soil to grow crops. In 2035 it is expected that we will produce 40 percent less food than today. At the same time, the population will increase to over 9 billion people. Moreover, food shortages will not affect only poor countries.

Unfortunately, so far, despite the fact that many people are aware of this global problem, no serious steps have been taken to solve it. This is the reason why the “Conscious Planet” movement was created, which launched the “Save Soil” project. The movement has been working for several years with scientific and regulatory experts around the world to develop specific recommendations for national policies to mitigate and halt the disappearance of soil. Six countries have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding, taking the first step towards making soil regeneration a national policy. Work in this direction is also being carried out with the EU and some specific countries.

The founder of the movement, the world-renowned yogi and New York Times bestselling author – Sadhguru, set off on March 21 by motorcycle from England and will travel 30,000 kilometers in 100 days, passing through 25 countries, to alert the world to the enormous threat facing humanity. He believes that through joint efforts the people of the planet can help themselves. According to him, civilization is at a turning point when the right things can still be done. If we start today, 15–20 years is a realistic period to reverse the trend. But that depends on all of us.

The seeds of “Conscious Planet” were sown more than two decades ago, when UN experts predicted that by 2025 almost 60% of the soils in Tamil Nadu in India would turn into desert. This was the turning point for Sadhguru, and a plan emerged to save soils and rivers on a global scale by restoring the green cover of the planet.  In the same year he and the Isha Foundation, founded by him, launched the “GreenHands” project. 70,000 farmers in South India switched to agroforestry. For this remarkable project the foundation received the highest environmental distinction in the country. In 2017, several of India’s tropical rivers had dried up significantly and the farmers along their banks were struggling for survival, with many not succeeding. Sadhguru launched Rally for Rivers. The campaign attracted the support of 162 million people. The policy recommendation of “Rally for Rivers” for the revitalization of India’s rivers was presented to the Government of India and subsequently adapted into an advisory policy.

In 2019, the South Indian river Cauvery had diminished by 40% over the previous four decades.  Sadhguru responded by launching the Cauvery Calling project, whose objective is to enable 5.2 million farmers to plant 2.42 billion trees along the Cauvery river basin over a period of 12 years. So far, 125,000 farmers have planted 62 million trees, making it the world’s largest eco movement led by farmers.

The “Save Soil” project of the global “Conscious Planet” movement, supported by the UN, aims to inspire a conscious approach to saving the soil and our planet. It is, above all, a people’s movement. Its goal is to gain the support of over 3.5 billion people (more than 60% of the world’s voters) and to make environmental issues a priority for governments worldwide, so that governments in all countries establish long-term policies for the revitalization of soil and ecology.

Soil is an environment in which countless forms of life live and develop; it is the largest ecosystem on the planet. In one teaspoon of rich soil there are more microorganisms than there are people on the planet. It is precisely thanks to this that all plants, animals, and we humans have food. If we lose soil fertility, not only we, but all living beings on the planet will disappear.

The restoration of our soil will play a key role in ending world hunger and poverty, neutralizing humanity’s carbon emissions, preserving biodiversity and eliminating water scarcity.

In Bulgaria we still do not have deserts, but reports from the Executive Environment Agency show that we are on the way to destroying the soil. Many farmers in Bulgaria, aware of this problem, have long since switched to organic farming, no-till sowing and other agricultural techniques that are not only gentle on the soil, but also enrich it. But is this enough to save the soil in Bulgaria, or is it necessary to take more serious measures?

Bulgaria is part of Sadhguru’s route. On March 28 the Indian Embassy officially handed over a letter from Sadhguru to the Minister of Environment. The Minister was informed about the “Conscious Planet” movement and its objectives. Sadhguru believes that Bulgarians will join in with a resounding: Let’s save the soil! Let us make it happen!

More about the “Save Soil” project

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Official website of the movement https://www.consciousplanet.org/