Information and education materials (PR kits, etc.) on the importance of soils for climate and food security are available in the 5 UN languages on the "4 per 1000" electronic platform and website. The "4 per 1000" network conducts at least ten awareness-raising events, targeting decision-makers and the general public every year.Objective C1 - Advocacy & Awareness
Label Title Description Advocacy & Awareness Increase the awareness of all stakeholders regarding the decisive role of Soil Health (SH) in tackling climate change and improving food security Decision-makers and the general public are aware of the interdependence between soil, climate, and food security and recognize the central role of the "4 per 1000" Initiative as a driver for change. Targets C1 - Advocacy & Awareness
Baseline 2020 Target 2030 Target 2050 Sporadic events target the public on the importance of soils for climate and food security. There is a significant presence on social media, and a simple Public Relations (PR) Kit is available. The "4 per 1000" network conducts at least 50 awareness-raising events per year, targeting decision-makers and the general public (policymakers, public, schools, farmers, land planners, and other stakeholders and influencers).
Context C1 - Advocacy & Awareness
Problem C1 - Advocacy & Awareness
| Problem Statement | Description | Consequences | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final draft | Decision-makers and the public are not fully aware of the interdependence between soil, food security, and climate and the role of the "4 per 1000" Initiative as a driver for change. | There is a lack of awareness regarding the critical importance of SH for the health of humans and ecosystems. Global society fails to recognize that soils and climate are interdependent through the global carbon cycle. Currently, soils are a significant source of greenhouse gases that contribute to air pollution. However, CO2 and other greenhouse gases are not generally recognized as air pollutants. Also, the role of soil organic matter in soil fertility is not always recognized as important for food security. | The missing awareness of SH and regenerative soil management has led to relying on synthetic inputs and high-tech seeds to achieve excellent agricultural performance. This results in massive soil exploitation, mainly through industrial agriculture. Although farmers and food enterprises worldwide are starting to recognize the benefits of regenerative agriculture, its adoption remains The transition towards regenerative practices is risky. Its potential to improve yields and contribute to climate change mitigation is not clearly demonstrated and communicated. Many organizations and initiatives are working to enhance the commitments required for improving SH. Because there is no mandate nor a strong market, duplication of efforts is common. The required collaboration between the different groups is hampered by competition for financial resources. |
Causes C1 - Advocacy & Awareness
| N° | Cause | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 | Lack of convincing PR material | Spreading complex information to the public is challenging, and not enough educational courses have been developed or adopted by school systems. Scientific recommendations are communicated to the public with scientific uncertainty, which is difficult to understand. |
2 | Lack of coordination of collective action | There is a lack of collective action with clear guidelines and timelines. In the absence of such a guideline, people tend to follow their way of thinking, which leads to individual but not collective and effective action. |
3 | Conflict of interest | Governments set development priorities that compete with SH and are unaware of the long-term implications of their decisions. |
4 | Dispersed ownership | Soil management is a task that affects billions of people around the world. As a result, it is challenging to take a unified approach to improve SH and inform about efforts. |
5 | Push-back of argo-industry | The agrochemical industry has a predominant influence on agricultural extension and policy-making. |
6 | Human-nature disconnection | Because of the technological advances and how our society has evolved since industrialization, people grow up in cities and far from the natural environment. The recognition of oneself being part of nature is mostly lost. The importance of nature conservation and restoration is no longer part of one's own survival but has been degraded to an altruistic activity of society. |
Implementation strategy C1 - Advocacy & Awareness
Activities C1 - Advocacy & Awareness
| N° | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 | Develop communication strategy | Develop a global communication strategy. |
2 | Elaborate PR-Kit | Collect and engage in producing material for social media, TV, radio, and newspapers with scientific backstopping. |
3 | Organize campaigns | Enable all interested partners to share the messages and use materials created for the information campaign. Partners should have the option to express their identity on the information material. |
4 | Include the importance of SH & SOC in school curricula | Advocate for including the soil-climate-food nexus in primary and secondary school curricula. The soil-climate-food nexus needs to be linked to human health and the impact on children's cognitive development, as low nutrient uptake through soil leads to deficiencies that impact human health (chemicals in the soil food chain). |
| 5 | Advocate for favorable conditions for change | Convince policymakers to create favorable conditions for decentralized, self-determined, and self-responsible climate action. Actions should be non-bureaucratic, provide maximum freedom for creativity, and facilitate learning and the exchange of experiences. Instill urgency and give the tools to advocate for regenerative agriculture to those empowered to implement it. |
6 | Convince agri-food industry | Advocate for the importance of SH among food industries, as the agro-industry controls the food supply chain. Ensure that food carbon labeling includes SOC. Identify global leaders and ambassadors to credit those on board. |
7 | Influence consumer demand | Influence consumers' health consciousness and demand to push SH and SOC and bring about global change. Historically, corporations shift their products according to consumer demand. |
Critical Success Factors (CSFs) C1 - Advocacy & Awareness
| N° | Critical Success Factor | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 | Mindsets and Political Will | It is crucial to change the mindset and create political will. The Ministry of Agriculture must be transformed into a Ministry for the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources, which places SH at the center of its agenda as the driving force for improving agriculture, promoting agroecology, and holistic land management. |
2 | Global approach | Continued effort by "4 per 1000" to take a global approach to this problem. |
3 | Enhanced communication | It must be apparent that the initiative bases its recommendations on objective scientific information and that its activities are open and transparent. A communication strategy is essential. |
4 | Simplified soil scientific knowledge | Soil science findings need to be presented in a simplified manner for the public and decision-makers. |
5 | Promotion of agroecology | Moving to a mosaic of agro-ecosystems that, each in their way, stimulate biological synergies between various plant and animal species beneath and upon the earth's surface, from soil fungi to cereals, pulses, and trees, from bacteria or earthworms to large bovines. |
6 | Engagement in schools | Educating future generations will be crucial to success. |
7 | "Producers first" principle | Most leaders consider themselves first and producers at the end. Because we need a strong relationship with producers to meet our target, a "producers first" principle might be a major factor to consider at all levels. |
9 | Initiation of "4 per 1000" principles | The importance of creating business models that can successfully integrate the "4 per 1000" principles and are based on the soil as a driving force in the future economic and well-being of communities as well as the planet |
Barriers C1 - Advocacy & Awareness
| N° | Barrier | Description |
|---|---|---|
1 | Education | While Eco-alphabetization is hugely important, debates on educational reform have been happening for decades and pulling in vastly different directions. It also requires engagement between multiple5 levels of government, private institutions, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders. |
2 | Short-term policy | Continuity is hard to achieve in natural resources management policy because legislative periods are too short compared to timescales to restore SH. |
3 | Insufficient proof | The impact is difficult to measure. Actions for SH are not monitored centrally. Collecting scientific data for farmers or maintaining a record may not be easy. Many farmers may also not want to share information. |
4 | Coordination | Other agendas can confuse strategic messages or be contradictory to the public. Commercial strategies could get hi-jacked by groups with other agendas e.g., anti-meat. It will be important to have a clear, objective, and trusted voice. |
