Linking soil stewardship and farm profitability

Healthy soils are essential for resilient food production systems, yet financial uncertainty can limit adoption of soil stewardship practices that underpin long-term food security. To address this challenge Charles Sturt, led by Dr Nicholas Pawsey, partnered with the CRC for High Performance Soils to strengthen links between soil science, growers and the finance sector.

Through the Rewarding Soil Stewardship project, Charles Sturt worked with researchers, growers, financial institutions and standard setting bodies to examine evidence on the financial costs and benefits of soil stewardship. By making soil science evidence accessible to growers, bankers and investors, the project supports financial decision-making and recognition of the investment in soils byAustralian farmers.

The review showed cognition of their role in yield stability and sustainable food systems, and addressing a key barrier to long-term food security.