Soil, Food & Nutrition by Isha Foundation

Soil, Food & Nutrition

by Isha Foundation Soil is a source of life on this planet. For all land dwelling plants and animals, the primary source of nutrients is the soil. If our soil is not nutrient rich and does not have the proper amount of organic content, then the food it produces will also be lacking. Without access to nutritious food, which is the very basis of our bodies, no human can live a vital and productive life. It would seem to be common sense to preserve and protect this vital source of life, yet our soil is dying.

The UN estimates that there are only 40-60 years of harvests left, as more and more soil is becoming depleted and turning into sand. Global soil depletion is a crisis the likes of which we have never seen. Large empires like the Mayans and Romans fell because of improper agricultural practices, but it has never before been a global problem. If we do not act now, we may be unable to produce enough food to feed the world in a few decades. It is not too late to change, but we must begin now. It is imperative that we come together and save our soil.

Nutrient Depletion The food we eat must have enough nutrients, or it will not provide what we need. These nutrients come from the soil in which the food is grown, and because of soil depletion, our food is becoming depleted.

Sadhguru says, “the soil nutrients are so low. How low is it? The soil depletion – I’m only talking about United States – the soil depletion in United States has led to a 21% drop in vitamin A in all the fruits, vegetables, and everything else that you’re eating, a 30% drop in vitamin C, a 37% drop in iron levels, and a 27% drop in calcium levels. The things that you all think are very healthy to eat, such as salads, the spinach, the lettuce, the tomatoes, and other things which you normally use in your salad, from the early 20th century, what level of nutrients they had and what they have today is only 10% left, 90% lower than what it was in early 20th century. So you’re largely eating water sacks without much nutrient in it.”

“The nutrient studies across the world are showing the nutrient depletion in the food across the world is so significant. It’s tragic that we are eating something thinking it is food that nourishes us but actually it has nothing. I’m not even going to the place of fertilizers and pesticides and herbicides; I’m not even

going there. That is outright poisoning, alright? I’m talking about depletion of food. That itself is tragic. People are eating thinking it’ll nourish their life. It’s not doing much to them except filling them up.” “39% of the United States citizens are deficient in vitamin C and this is very vital for the antibody production. “Okay I will take more pills, more pills, more pills,” it’s not going to work like that. The food should have it. They’re saying in 1930s, what one orange would give you, today you need to eat 8 oranges. Eating eight oranges a day is not a possibility for most human beings. One orange, what it would give you today, it takes 8. So, considering all this, soil is an unfolding disaster for everybody.”

Soil, Nutrition, and Microbial Life A primary factor linking soil and food quality is the microbial life present in soil, which is directly dependent upon the amount of organic matter that is in the soil. Organic matter comes from animals and plants, and it is vital that we begin to get more organic matter back into the soil. If we can do this, we can save the microbial life that lives in the soil and thus save all the species that rely on this microbial life for their own lives.

Sadhguru says, “Let’s say, right now, organic matter in the soil is 1.48 %. You have an apple. What are the nutrients in this apple? Now I will raise my farm soil to 3 percent. What are the nutrients available in this? There’ll be a significant difference because of these extra micronutrients. What are the health benefits that one will get? What are the preventive health benefits one will get? This science all exists already. We just have to correlate it, so it will find its own step.”

“Every year, on an average, there is a loss of 27,000 species of microbes are going extinct per year. So, if we let this go as it is for another 25 to 40 years, after that recovery will take anywhere between 150 to 200 years. If we act now, if we change the policies now and begin to act in the next 10 to 15 years’ time, in 25 years’ time we can turn this situation around. I feel this is a fundamental responsibility that we owe to ourselves and to future generations on this planet.”

The Save Soil Movement According to Sadhguru, the Save Soil movement is about bringing humanity together to keep the magic of soil alive. Almost every major ecological crisis is, to some degree or form, a consequence or symptom of the degradation of soil. Similarly, almost every environmental or environment-related pain point can be addressed by creating healthy soil. It is a holistic movement.

It is, in fact, a fallacy to think we can address any one aspect of our environment without addressing the whole, because no aspect of the ecosystem functions in isolation. No solution is complete until we become conscious that life is one single complex phenomenon, all of which is happening in unison. In many ways, Soil is the underlying platform upon which life springs forth. If we fix soil, we have the best chance of fixing the whole. The Save Soil Movement is working toward: Turning the world attention to our dying soil.

Inspiring about 4 billion people (60% of the world’s electorate of 5.26 billion) to support policy redirections to safeguard, nurture and sustain soils.

Driving national policy changes in 193 nations toward raising and maintaining the organic content of soils to a minimum of 3-6%. In getting his message out, this year (2022) Sadhguru undertook a 100-day Motorcycle Journey travelling from the United Kingdom to India. He stopped in 27 Countries and rode over 30,000 km meeting thousands of people from all walks of life and all ages. Some highlights from this journey in April included being at the UN (FAO) in Rome, Italy which endorsed the Save Soil campaign and then in the UN in Geneva, Switzerland. He met with many other political leaders discussing and gaining support for the campaign including: in Brussels, he met with the Head of the Cabinet of the EU Agriculture Commissioner; in Bonn, he met with a Member of the German Parliament and the Executive Director of the UN CCD; in Davos, he met with representatives from roughly 150 countries. You may find more information about the Save Soil Movement at: https://consciousplanet.org/