How are soil health and food security related?

Healthy soils are fundamentally linked to food security primarily because they are essential for producing nutrient-dense food. Soils that are rich in organic matter, have good structure, and are biologically active support robust plant growth and enhance the nutritional quality of crops. Nutrient-dense food is crucial for human health, as it provides the vitamins, minerals, and other necessary components that humans require for optimal health and well-being.

Healthy soils contribute to a balanced ecosystem where beneficial organisms thrive, promoting plant health and resilience against pests and diseases. This way, crops grown in healthy soils are often more productive and can yield higher quantities of quality food. This is vital for maintaining food security, which relies on not just the availability of food, but also its quality and nutritional value.

While reducing food production costs can be a potential benefit of healthy soils, it is not as directly tied to food security as the nutritional value of the food produced. Similarly, promoting monocropping doesn't necessarily enhance soil health or food security, as monoculture can lead to soil degradation over time. Lastly, stating that healthy soils primarily affect plant growth overlooks the broader implications of soil health on ecosystem services and human nutrition, which are critical to food security.