#Youth4Soil: A Global Uprising Cultivating Resilience from the Ground Up
By the time you finish reading this, another patch of fertile soil will have turned to dust. But somewhere in Kenya, Uganda, India, Slovakia, or Zambia, a young person is working to reverse that.
Across continents, a quiet revolution is taking root—led not by billion-dollar corporations or political elites, but by youth armed with compost, code and conviction. This is the story of #Youth4Soil, a global uprising transforming how we think about agriculture, climate resilience, biodiversity and the very ground beneath our feet.
In an era marked by climate uncertainty, food insecurity and environmental degradation, one resource remains foundational yet often overlooked: Soil. Healthy soil sustains life, supports agriculture, regulates water and stores carbon. Yet, over one-third of the world’s soils are degraded, threatening ecosystems and livelihoods alike.
In response, a dynamic coalition of young leaders is stepping forward. Anchored in the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health, the #Youth4Soil working group is mobilizing youth across continents to restore soil health, promote sustainable land use and shape policy frameworks that prioritize regeneration over exploitation.
Building Momentum
On 25th September 2025, the third #Youth4Soil Solutions Showcase of 2025 took place, following two earlier editions held on 6th March and 24th June. Each showcase has spotlighted youth-led innovations in soil health—from regenerative farming practices in East Africa to digital soil mapping in South Asia. Together, these events have built a global platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration and visibility, reinforcing the urgency and creativity driving this initiative forward.
At the third 2025 #Youth4Soil Solutions Showcase, held virtually on September 25, young people from around the world presented groundbreaking initiatives that exemplify how young people, rooted in their communities and connected to the land, are cultivating fresh, innovative solutions to restore soil health. Reiterating that just like plants need healthy soil to grow, a sustainable future needs youth-led ideas to flourish. Youth and soil together form the bedrock of regeneration, resilience and renewal.
In his opening remarks, Ajuna Tadeo, YPARD Global Programmes Coordinator, emphasized the importance of celebrating and harnessing youth leadership in soil health today.
“Let us to take this moment to learn from one another, celebrate our achievements and commit to doing even more. Because the health of the soils reflect the health of our future.”
Showcase Highlights
Rebooting the System through Regenerative Innovations
Image: Slide from Darina’s presentation
Darina Štyriaková, CEO of Ekolive and EU Soil Mission Ambassador, presented her groundbreaking work on eco-bioleaching technology that uses microorganisms to unlock mineral nutrients, replacing synthetic fertilizers and improving crop yields while regenerating soil. With vast experience in microbiology, Darina highlighted how her team uses microorganisms to liquefy minerals—essentially pre-digesting nutrients for plants. This method boosts chlorophyll content and plant resilience, especially in sun-rich regions like Africa.
Key results from trials include:
Potatoes in Kenya: Up to 40% yield increase, pathogen-free crops.
Okra and cucumber in Ghana: ~300% yield increase.
Strawberries in Europe: 52–60% yield increase depending on application method.
Cabbage: 42% yield increase.
With costs as low as €10–23 per hectare, the technology offers a scalable, sustainable alternative to agrochemicals, improving soil quality while increasing profits.
The Road to Breaking Systemic Barriers
Enock Joseph Ssembuusi, co-founder of Veridian Bioharvest Limited, shared his team’s mission to transform agricultural waste into liquid bio stimulants. Their innovation supports farmers in adapting to climate change while reducing reliance on synthetic inputs.
Veridian’s approach centers on:
Climate resilience: Helping plants withstand drought and stress.
Soil health: Reducing inapproriate chemical use and regenerating soil.
Circular economy: Recycling fruit and vegetable waste into valuable inputs.
Ssembuusi highlighted several systemic barriers that hinder youth engagement in agriculture and soil innovation, including limited access to mentorship and professional networks, complex regulatory hurdles for product registration, and exclusion from land tenure systems and policy frameworks. In response, he called for dedicated grant programs to support youth-led agribusinesses, greater youth representation in agricultural policymaking and stronger mentorship and collaboration networks to help scale promising prototypes and foster peer-to-peer learning.
Moving from Boldness to Action
Priscilla Wakarera, CEO of Rhea and soil research scientist, delivered a compelling presentation on a decentralized youth-led soil testing model. Based in Kenya, Rhea is pioneering decentralized, tech-enabled solutions to combat soil degradation, desertification and low agricultural resilience.
Rhea’s Mission and Model
Rhea’s core mission is to democratize soil testing through:
Portable diagnostic devices that measure soil pH and geotag samples.
A WhatsApp chatbot offering tailored agronomy advice, crop monitoring and nutrient deficiency alerts.
Youth-led soil testing hubs in 12 counties, staffed by trained agents at agro-input shops and freelance agronomists.
Impact Highlights
Over 10,000 farmers trained in soil health and good agricultural practices.
125 youth jobs created as soil agents, with a goal of 500 hubs by December 2026.
Targeting 100,000 farmers reached by 2027 and 1,000 youth jobs created by 2028.
Farmers report up to 45% yield increase and 48% savings on inputs.
Soil fertility improved by 30% annually through optimized practices.
Youth are Catalysts for Change! Priscilla emphasized the critical role of youth in:
Bridging scientific research and field application.
Carrying generational soil health practices forward.
Driving innovation through digital tools and regenerative methods.
Soil Health and Youth Engagement through the Policy Lens
Mahathi Aguvaveedi, a policy researcher at Save Soil and steering committee member of the UNCCD Youth Caucus, emphasized that soil degradation is not merely a technical challenge—it is a governance failure. Through her work at Save Soil, she advocates for robust legal frameworks, comprehensive soil monitoring systems, and farmer-centred governance models. She highlighted how current policies often incentivize harmful practices, such as monoculture farming and excessive use of synthetic fertilizers, while neglecting soil organic carbon monitoring and overall soil health.
“Embedding soil protection into law, into sustainable management regimes, so that it’s protected, not just by goodwill, but required by law to be protected.”
Save Soil’s four-pillar policy framework includes:
Knowledge systems: Reviving and scaling traditional soil-friendly practices.
Monitoring and accountability: Tracking soil organic matter to guide adaptive policies.
Farmer support: Providing training and extension services.
Legal provisions: Embedding soil protection into national laws.
Mahathi shared examples of successful policy models in Costa Rica and the EU, and detailed Save Soil’s bilateral work with governments in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and India. She also highlighted their advocacy at global platforms like COP29, where they released a policy statement co-signed by over 100 organizations calling for increased financing for regenerative agriculture.
Community-Based Interventions for Soil Health
Image: PowerPoint Slide from Josephat’s presentation
Representing Hatua Achievers, a community-based organization in Kenya, Josephat Muoki showcased youth-driven efforts to rehabilitate degraded landscapes in dry regions like Makueni and Machakos counties. Their work includes:
Rehabilitation of hills through indigenous and drought-tolerant tree planting.
Youth and women-led nurseries and school partnerships for environmental stewardship.
Water catchment restoration, including vegetative buffers and erosion control structures.
Water harvesting systems like pump ponds and rooftop collection.
Youth empowerment through training in climate-smart agriculture and green entrepreneurship.
Key lessons from their work:
• Community ownership is vital for restoration success.
• Youth engagement thrives when tied to livelihood opportunities.
• Partnerships with schools and government amplify impact.
A Call to Global Stakeholders
Youth represent the largest demographic in many regions most affected by soil degradation. Their proximity to the challenges—and their capacity for innovation—make them indispensable agents of change.
To scale these efforts, strategic support is essential. Governments, development agencies, research institutions, private sector actors and youth are urged to:
Integrate youth into land and soil governance frameworks
Redirect funding toward youth-led enterprises and innovations
Support localized knowledge sharing centres and mentorship pipelines
Embed soil health into national policy and legal systems
For youth: Continue to leverage locally available opportunities and resources to advance soil health initiatives effectively.
In conclusion, the #Youth4Soil uprising is more than a mere working group—it is a global shift in how we value and steward the land. As the 2025 Showcase presentations demonstrated, young leaders are already delivering scalable, science-based and community-driven solutions. With the right support, their impact can be exponential.
To learn more or join the initiative, visit the #Youth4Soil website and follow online conversations using #Youth4Soil.
Partner. Mentor. Invest. Amplify. These are the actions that turn youth-led soil solutions into lasting systems change.
