Implementing sustainable soil management practices

The workshop turned out to be a great opportunity for discussing the role of the programme in empowering farmers on sustainable soil management (SSM). Mr Jose Luis Camacho Flores, a famer and certified Soil Doctor from Mexico City, told participants “how grateful he was to have been introduced to this global initiative and that he now realizes that the decisions he makes in his small plot of land can have an impact on environmental dynamics on a larger scale”. He also acknowledged the efficiency of the programme: "We have learned to use simple tools to assess soil conditions in the field and can now rely on several educational materials, posters and field exercises, which can be easily shared. All of this helps to improve communication between farmers”.

The other Soil Doctors who attended the workshop provided examples of good practices that can make soils more resilient to drought, one of the most important threat in the region.  Mr Jorge Manuel Lugo understood the importance of soil cover to enrich the subsoil and improve soil biodiversity while Ms Kati Biviano Sanchez is currently trying with her family to reduce the use of heavy machinery. The importance of pH for soil fertility was stressed by Ms Julia Lopez: “we have learned to determine whether our soil is acid, neutral, or alkaline and this will help us to improve the agricultural production in the long term”.

Some of the farmers are concerned about the lack of interest of the new generations. “Young people do not care so much about soil as they do not see it as a resource to be cherished and protected” said Ms Yolanda. “The Soil Doctors programme can be a valuable tool to attract young farmers because our generation is more triggered by practical activities such as soil pH determination, than theory” replied the 26-year old Kati.

Strategies for scaling up the programme

The webinar marked the end of the first phase of programme’s implementation, with a total of 150 Soil Doctors trained in Mexico and a potential of 1 500 to 5 000 farmers, both women and men, who could be trained this year.  The ownership of the programme and the enthusiasm of the Soil Doctors in Mexico is immense, and all actors are eager to share the knowledge gained in their communities and in other parts of the country. They are convinced that the key to a successful expansion of the programme lies in the possibility of transmitting knowledge through simple practices, which will facilitate communication between farmers. It is equally important to make farmers understand that each soil is unique, even on a small scale, and that not all the practices can be implemented everywhere. Now, Soil Doctors are challenged to teach other farmers to keep an open mind when caring for a living system such as the soil, favouring an ecosystem approach to improve and restore ideal soil conditions rather than simply focusing on the use of fertilizers.

What’s next?

The Soil Doctors Programme in Mexico is now established and operational as a result of a close collaboration between Academia (PUEIS), the Ministry of Agriculture of Mexico, and FAO, which have together invested more than USD 50 000. All actors will continue to work together to mobilize additional resources. However, synergies need to be improved with other actors such as the private sector, farmers' associations, and cooperatives. Only then will producers and smallholder farmers realize that they are all part of the same larger community fighting against soil degradation.